Provincial Yelets was once considered one of the most beautiful towns in Russia. It was adorned with two monasteries, three dozen Orthodox churches, a Polish Catholic church, a German church, and a Jewish synagogue. The precise rhythm of its domes and bell towers still defines the skyline of the old town.

 

The great Russian writer Ivan Bunin, in exile in a distant land, recalled "...the ringing, the roar of the bells from the bell tower of St. Michael the Archangel, towering above everything in such grandeur, such splendor, such as the Roman Church of St. Peter never dreamed of, and such enormity that the Pyramid of Cheops could never again impress me." The Church of St. Michael the Archangel stands next to the administration building in the center of Yelets, the city where the future Nobel laureate spent his high school years. He often spoke warmly of the city of his youth.

 

On Red Square stands the colossal Ascension Cathedral. It claims to be the second largest Orthodox church in Russia after St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg. The cathedral was designed by the renowned architect Konstantin Andreevich Ton (1794-1881), the architect of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Grand Kremlin Palace. Approving the design, Tsar Nicholas I ordered the architect to be granted royal favor for the cathedral's beauty. The interior decoration was worked on by the Itinerant artists and academicians of painting, Alexei Ivanovich Korzukhin (1835-1894) and Klavdy Vasilyevich Lebedev (1852-1916).

 

Above the cathedral's left iconostasis is a painting of the "Mother of God of Yelets." The Virgin Mary and her heavenly host block the path of Tamerlane's invasion in 1395.

 

To commemorate the 500th anniversary of Rus''s miraculous deliverance from the invasion, the Church of Our Lady of Yelets was founded in Yelets. Its tented roof still dominates the modern architecture of the southern part of the city. People call it "the red church," either for the color of its brick or for the beauty of its unusual shapes.

 

Yelets has seen so many people within its walls over its thousand-year history. Presumably founded in 986 as the center of an appanage principality, the city was first mentioned in the Nikon Chronicle for 1146:

 

“Prince Svyatoslav Olgovich went to Rezan and visited Mchensk, and Tula, and Dubok on the Don, and Yelets, and Pronsk, and came to Rezan on the Oka...”

 

Its location on the southeastern outskirts of the Russian lands, bordering the "wild field," determined the city's fate for several centuries: "it was... the protector of the Russian lands." Polovtsian raids, Tatar-Mongol invasions, and attacks by Crimean and Golden Horde hordes repeatedly brought the city to desolation, but it was rebuilt and rose again.

 

"The city itself also boasted of its antiquity, and had every right to do so: it truly was one of the most ancient cities lying among the great black earth fields of the Substeppe, on that fateful line beyond which once stretched "wild, unknown lands," and in the times of the principalities of Suzdal and Ryazan, it belonged to those most important strongholds of Rus' that, according to the chroniclers, were the first to breathe in the storm, dust, and cold from under the menacing Asian clouds that continually passed over it, the first to see the glow of the terrible night and day fires ignited by them, the first to let Moscow know of the impending disaster and the first to lay down their lives for it..." (I. A. Bunin).

 

From the mid-17th century, Yelets developed as a city of artisans and traders. Livestock trading, tanneries, trade in grain, flour, and semolina, and the famous Yelets lace made the city prosperous and brought it fame.

 

Yelets's historical heritage includes approximately two hundred architectural monuments. The city itself is a monument to Russian urban planning. Narrow, straight streets running north to south and east to west, combined with low, two- and three-story buildings that are spacious enough to accommodate a person, create a uniquely cozy atmosphere. In Yelets, you don't feel lost, as you might in a larger city. Perhaps this is why the constant flow of tourists eager to see the green Russian city...

 

A small town, wandering its cozy streets, and visiting the church. Perhaps it's also because the Yelets region is the birthplace of writers Ivan Bunin and Mikhail Prishvin, philosopher Vasily Rozanov, composer Tikhon Khrennikov, and artists Vasily Meshkov, Nikolai Ulyanov, and Nikolai Zhukov. Yelets attracts visitors with its lacemaking industry, museums, art gallery, picturesque landscapes, and fascinating natural sites. It also draws visitors with its centuries-long, dramatic history, closely linked to the fate of Russia.

 

Many of Yelets' churches have suffered a tragic fate. Not all survived the destruction and hard times. Birch trees grow on the exposed domes of the Church of the Archangel Michael, which so captivated Ivan Bunin's youthful imagination. The traces of abandonment and neglect on many of the remaining churches speak to the hearts of the people. With Russia's rebirth comes a renaissance of its small and medium-sized towns, and Yelets is at the top of that list.

 

Will we restore its former beauty?

 

V. Gorlov.

8758 to be precise, but it is commonly referred to as just 'fifty eight' due to it sharing shed space with 8763, or 'sixty three'.

This was possibly the last time it moved or at least moved without having some form of abuse thrown at it.

A number of issues, notably a the gearbox brain being bollocksed and it having the tendency to spit transmission fluid out being two of its party tricks. A conversion to semi auto is on the cards and as soon as we find someone thin enough to crawl underneath and start removing bits that need to come off a start can be made on making it right again.

Sounds good in theory!

Marina Wolfsbruch

Or to be more precise it was a Kodak No.3A Folding Pocket Camera Model B. Still in excellent working order in 2020, one wonders how many of todays 'cameras' will exist in over a hundred years time.

For the record this cost around $20 US. in 1903, equivalent today is approx. £468 UK..

Copyright 2020, please do not use without permission, thank you.

The Historic Opa-locka Fire and Police Station (originally known as the Public Safety Building) is a highly significant Moorish Revival milestone located at 151 Perviz Avenue, Opa-locka, FL 33054. Built in early 1926 by city founder Glenn Curtiss and architect Bernhardt Muller, it is famously known as the precise location where 28 registered voters met on May 14, 1926, to officially charter the Town of Opa-locka.

 

Historical Significance

The Birthplace of Opa-locka: It served as the largest enclosed building available to house the initial city chartering meeting in May 1926.

 

Moorish Architecture: The building stands out for its unique Orientalist design, featuring ornately curved exterior walls and a distinctive, red-tiled roof.

 

National Register: It is prominently included as one of the twenty structures in the city listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Community and Tourism Today

Opa-locka Heritage Trail: The station marks Station #1 (the starting point) of the Opa-locka Heritage Trail, a self-guided 15-station outdoor interpretive walking trail open 24/7. The trail charts the 1920s land boom history, continuing south along Perviz Avenue (also known locally as Barack Obama Avenue).

 

Neighboring Milestones: The building sits adjacent to the recently completed $1.5M+ restoration of the Historic Opa-locka City Hall (Opa-locka Company Administration Building) at 777 Sharazad Blvd.

 

Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:

www.google.com/search?q=Historic+Opa-locka+Fire+and+Polic...

www.discoveropalocka.org/historiclandmarks

 

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

 

via WordPress bestprenatalvitaminsdha.com/precise-portions-ppk-pk4bwl-s...

To be precise, it is the Gitzo GM4562 Series-4 Carbon eXact 6-Section Monopod.

 

This was a gift to myself for finally learning how to use a monopod! I've had an old Manfrotto Aluminum monopod for 20+ years that I barely touched. I could never get it to work for me – it always felt like I was serving it, rather than it serving me.

 

But I finally, FINALLY figured out how to use a monopod. I realized there’s a lot of awful advice online on how to use a monopod, such as:

 

• Using your left hand to firmly hold the monopod and right hand to position the camera / lens and shoot;

 

• Putting your left hand over the camera / lens to add more weight to “ground” the monopod and make it more stable;

 

• Using a ball head on a monopod;

 

• Screwing in a monopod directly into the lens' foot, or worse, into a camera;

 

etc.

 

I had my Eureka! Moment when I realized that the best way to use a monopod is to pretend it does not exist. Meaning, as if I’m really shooting hand-held, with my left hand supporting the far end of a long lens, and my right hand holding the camera by its grip.

 

It’s as if I were a Sumu wrestler with the strength to simply lift up the camera and shoot hand-held all day. Except that I would be delegating almost all of the weight to the monopod. The better I got with the technique, the less I became consciously aware of the monopod, and the more it really feet like handheld shooting.

 

It all became possible when put on my newly acquired Katana Jr. gimbal head (picture below) on the monopod, and then I realized why it’s critical to use a gimbal head on a monopod, instead of a ball head, or worse, screwing in a monopod directly into the lens foot.

 

A good gimbal head with smooth movements greatly helps with the handheld feeling. Even more fundamentally, a gimbal allows me to balance the load in both the fore/aft and up/down dimensions, so when the monopod is vertical (kept vertical by not holding the monopod, but from my holding the lens with my left hand and the camera with my right hand!), I would have a near weightless situation.

 

Once I do that, it is pretty darned close to handheld shooting. Even if a bird or a plane flew directly over my head, the gimbal lets me point the lens pretty much 90° up, without having to lift the camera + lens + even the monopod to look up straight.

 

There are two ways to shoot subjects that are at a very high angle or even overhead. I could crouch a little, so I can continue look through the view finder, and still keep my target in sight. Alternatively, I could simply flip out the LCD back and that lets me look at my target at my eye level while standing up with my legs straight, while the lens is pointed up. This would be tough to do if I have been tracking a bird from a distance using the viewfinder.

 

Obviously, it's not 100% hand-held, but with these techniques, I can get pretty close.

 

Once I realized the right method, I got myself a really high quality monopod, one I plan to use extensively with my Sony 200-600mm lens.

 

Sorry for the long rant, but my summary message is, merely using a gimbal instead of a ball head immediately elevated my monopod usability by 7 notches on a 1-10 scale! And the Katana Jr. and the Gitzo monopod is a terrific combination that pushed it up by another couple of notches!

 

I would not be surprised in the least if someone told me “Hey, that’s all well known, this is nothing new, this is how I have been using a monopod for decades! You just woke up, that’s all!”

 

Could very well be that! But I’m still happy even if I’m a tube light that just turned on!

 

At that precise time, I was happy. That was my first photo session of fireworks. I was ideally positioned upstream of the Mirabeau Bridge. In front of me, the Grenelle bridge, and Statue of Liberty*.

I was surrounded by friendly people.

I can testify that nobody knew that blood had flown at Nice. The first report came on my smartphone about ten minutes after the fireworks.

I felt devastated.

These four pictures are dedicated to Nice victims.

 

A cette heure précise, j'étais heureux. C'était ma première session photo d'un feux d'artifice. J'étais idéalement positionné en amont du pont Mirabeau. En face de moi, le pont de Grenelle, et la statue de la liberté.

J'étais entouré de gens sympathiques.

Je peux témoigner qu'autour de moi, personne ne savait que le sang avait coulé à Nice. La première notification (le Figaro) est tombée sur mon smartphone environ 5 minutes après la fin du feux d'artifice.

J'ai été dévasté.

Ces quatre photos sont dédiées aux victimes de Nice.

 

* en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replicas_of_the_Statue_of_Liberty#P...

 

Sony Alpha A7

RF Jupiter-9 2/85mm for Zorki camera (KMZ 1954) M/L39 adapter

Shown here

...precise & to the point!

Precise dating of the church is based on the inscription found on the northern wall of the eastern aisle. According to this inscription, the church was built in 965.

Precise use of the caves under the limestone outcrop are not known, but two theories predominate. One being the mummification of the dead - there is a consistent temperature and air flow and the second, sacrifice. The rock here has been sculpted to create a very well defined and accessible lying out area.

THE TWELVE AGES OF ULTRON - THE TWELFTH AGE (PART ONE)

 

HULKBUSTERS SMASH TINY ULTRON!

 

In the twelfth Age Of UItron

Joss Whedon gave to me

Twelve ‘Busters busting

Eleven wipers wiping

Ten broads a leaping

Nine blasters blasting

Eight ladies chilling

Seven spiders spinning

Six gaussed a-laying

Five Mandarins

Four brawling nerds

Three drenched men

Two mortal foes

And a Rocket in a Groot tree

———————————————

 

Right-o, for the penultimate (!) shot in this series, I wanted to play with the idea of Ultron and his drone army pitted against the Stark/Banner Hulkbuster armour, A.K.A, Veronica. Or to be precise, an even dozen of the big bruisers comprehensively kicking Ultron’s adamantium (and/or vibranium, depending on whether you favour the comics or the movie) shiny metal arse.

 

What IS the collective noun for a Stark load of Hulkbusters? Given that Veronica is named after the character in “The Archies” comics (Joss Whedon’s logic is invincible, if Bruce Banner’s best girl is Betty Ross, then…) perhaps a Riverdale of Veronicas wouldn’t be out of line?

 

Okay, so it’s not JUST about the HBs going all metal evil on Ulty and his terrible Tinions. It’s generally not enough to pummel the killer chrome robot’s body, as he is traditionally able to transmit his cybernetic intelligence the-silicon-hell-outta a smashed body and into a factory fresh one.

 

I saw Tony Stark use an empty, remote piloted Model 52 Veronica-like suit against the horrific Hank Pym/Ultron cyborg in the Marvel comic book, The Uncanny Avengers (Issues # 11, and 12, 2016). The tactic he employed was nicknamed “Project Icarus” and involved popping open the super tuff suit unexpectedly in battle, capturing and confining Ultron within it, and then booping the suit into the Sun!

 

Somewhat similar, come to think of it, of the tactic Stark used against the Extremis enhanced Aldrich Killian in the Ironman 3 movie, where he self destructed the suit to exploderate his foe. (Didn’t quite work that time either, oh well.)

 

Anyway, how cool was it in Avengers: Age Of Ultron when Tony in the Hulkbuster actually fought the Other Guy to a standstill, which is highly unusual (practically unique!) in the long history of HB vs Hulk stoushes. Hulkbuster actually smashed Hulk! Of course, all due credit to the fact that Bruce Banner helped design Veronica…which makes entirely good, practical sense! Tony Stark’s an (THE!) engineer and he doesn’t care where an idea comes from, so long as it works. Same same with Bruce, apparently, as I think he may end up wearing the Hulkbuster suit in Avengers: Infinity Wars. Tony's not the only one who is Irony Man, apparently. How very meta!

 

Oh, and there’s Joss Whedon off to the left there lining up, ‘The Shot’! Yay, Joss! Thankyouthankyouthankyou for giving us a movie with a Hulkbuster in it! That’s the Joss Whedon figurine that was packaged with DVDs of Morgan Spurlock’s geek-culture documentary Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope.

 

And ta also to filmmaker Simon Imberger, who loaned me the wee ornamental metal camera a very long time ago! (Just as well I didn’t rent it from a gear store…the fee by now would be $tarkrageous!

 

I dithered around with the backdrop for this shot.

 

The first attempt was against a green screen. (That’s green screen, not ‘ol Greenskin!) but I found that the red of the massed Hulkbusters against it looked rather predictably hideous.

 

There’s some other ideas that didn’t pan out, so in the end I went for something entirely neutral, so it wouldn’t detract from the ‘characters’. 'Ironically', I still went with a green, gridded cutting board as a floor, but that's not too bad, especially since mostly it's the Ultrons and other 'bots that are shown against it.

 

Okay, to the cast!

 

THE 'BUSTERS

 

Twelve good mecha men and true. Truly!

 

Unlike a lot of tech, Ultron can’t hack these suits, they’re specifically shielded against cyber-subversive hacking. You’d think that wouldn't be something a Hulkbuster suit would need (“Hulk smash puny keyboard!”) but perhaps they wanted to guard against Banner himself going rogue, rather than “The Other Guy”.

 

I'm going to list these blokes from front row to back row, left to right. (The viewer's left.)

 

These are the five smallest, in the front rank, left to right.

 

-The first one riffs off the original comic book design for the Hulkbulkster suit, which was an add on package to the so-called Modular Armour, or Model 13 suit. The MCU suits tend to vary across "Mark" numbers, whereas the comic book major variations are listed as "Models".

 

It first appeared in Iron Man Volume 1, # 304, in May, 1994, which, even though it has the Thor-like villain, Thunderstrike, featured on the cover, ends up with Tony confronting Banner/Hulk in an old Stane International plant that was manufacturing Gamma Bombs. Stark fights the Hulk when he shows up, but after the obligatory battle, the two Avengers end up working together to destroy the facility, having 'Ironed out' their differences....this time.

 

Anyway! The figure is 11 cm (4 1/2 inches) tall, with 16 points of articulation and was released by Hasbro, spinning off the Iron Man 2 movie, pre-dating, of course, the H.B's movie screen debut in The Avengers film. This is a quite well detailed figure, and I like the 'cranberry' red colour scheme, even if you can't move the helmet much on those mighty shoulders!

 

-7cm (2 3/4 inches) 2008 Hasbro Super Hero Squad Hulkbuster from The Genius Of Tony Stark four figure boxset. This one only has three points of articulation, but I think it’s the only World War Hulk story arc Hulkbuster toy available so far. The suit was destroyed by Hulk when he collapsed Avengers Tower onto it. If this looks odd in this cute toy, trust me, it looked weirder in the comic books! One of a long line of expensive suits that Hulk SMASHED! (I'm sure Tony gets to write them off on his tax. The paperwork must be apocalyptic reading!) it's not the smallest one there is, when it comes to Hulkbuster toys, of course, because there are the wee Heroclix ones that have obviously been subjected to Pym Particles.

 

-I had to get a LEGO Hulkbuster piece in here. This is the 13 cm (5 inch) one from the 2015 LEGO Hulkbuster Smash # 76031 playset. It's got about nine basic points of artic. Hard to tell with LEGO, but there are additional ones 'cos the whole front can hinge open, and the helmet pivots back to reveal a LEGO Iron Man figure wearing a Mark XLIII suit. Oh, and all the four fingers can move on the mitts! I quite like this wee bloke, especially its ability to launch a couple of projectiles from the right gauntlet, using a simple mechanism. Madly, the LEGO Marvel Avengers Game features a playable Squirrel Girl, 'Squirrelbuster', variant of this suit, complete with a big LEGO foofy squirrel tail, nutty expression on the visor, and S.G mini-fig piloting the rig. Even more madness! There's also a Stan Lee, 'Stanbuster' variant in the game! ('Nuff said!) The playset also includes Hulk, Ultron, and Black Widow figures, along with a Hulk trap and amusing little 'launchers' to catapult some characters acrobatically through the air.

 

-The next cool figure is the 2015 10 cm (4 inches) Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Hulkbuster toy. It’s not articulated, and I cut the interface stand off it so I could use the figure in isolation. It’s one of the biggest characters in the Infinity game series, very powerful, and voiced in the game by Adrian Pasdar. Pasdar also voices Iron Man in Marvel Anime, Ultimate Spider-Man and Avengers Assemble. He’s also played Hawkeye and Captain America in other animated productions. You may know him in person on the live action screen as Nathan Petrelli in Heroes, or as Glenn Talbot in Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I think I first saw him in the cool ‘80s vampire movie, Near Dark. Anyhoo! The figure is based on the Veronica Hulkbuster, as shown in Joss Whedon’s Avengers: Age Of Ultron.

 

-Again, this 'SHINY' older 13 cm (5 inch) figure represents the original Iron Man Volume 1, # 304 - May, 1994 comic book Hulkbuster. It's the 1995 Toy Biz H.B, Series 3 in the toy line created to back the 1994 to 1996 Iron Man animated series, that, along with a Fantastic Four show, formed the Marvel Action Hour on television. It ran for two series, for a total of 26 episodes. The first season was pretty awful, but a production house change saw the second season ramp up considerably to deliver some quite decent stories. Actor Robert Hays (who also played the title role in the Starman television series) provided the voice for Iron Man/Tony Stark across several mid-'90s Marvel animated shows.

 

Anyway, the toys were, and are, terrific, and contained lots of armour variants based on existing canon but also many ones simply made up for the line. They are semi-modular, in that the high gloss metallic armour 'accessories' plug into the base plastic figures. Theoretically, they can be mixed and matched between figures, though you had to be careful doing that, both back in the day, and now, as the pins on the pieces can break off. The Toy Biz Hulkbuster captures the heavy metal presence of this iconic design and has nine articulations.

 

The second rank is a bit uneven as the two middle figures are staggered. Again, from left to right....

 

-The winged bloke holding the flank is the 2015 Super Hero Masher Hulkbuster from the 2015 Hasbro Iron Man Vs Hulk two-pack. At 26cm (8 inches) tall, with about eleven articulations, the oddest thing about him is that he's standing on an extra pair of platform boots, oh, and has wings! Because...well, just because! The Mashers are a popular line of multi-franchise toys which also include D.C, Star Wars, Transformers and a number of other properties. They all break down into pieces that can be easily reconfigured, which means that yes, you could create your own combo of Hulkbuster/Superman Buster for Batman to brood around in! Or you could maybe jigger the bits onto a Tony Starch Mr Potato Head toy, to create the Sensational Spudbuster...

 

Good luck with the wings, matey! I suppose it would provide a distraction while Hulk is pulling them off...before he beats you to scrap with them.

 

-Next is a particular fave. It's the Hasbro 2014 Playskool Heroes, Marvel Superhero Adventures Hulkbuster from the Stark Tech Armor two-pack.

 

17 cm (6 three quarter inches) tall, this one has a lot of neat features, in spite of only having six articulations. One of THOSE is the amusing, spinning left arm, whose fingers are spring loaded and can hold the Hulk figure that comes with the set. The Hulk is also spring loaded, and can jump up to headbutt the Buster! ("Hulk's skull thickest one there is!") The whole front of the torso hinges down to reveal a small, helmetless Iron Man figure, in scale with others in the range, who virtually catapults out when the panel is pressed, all feisty for fightin'.

 

-Taking a step back, behind the Playskool piece, is the 2015 Hasbro Marvel Legends Build-A-Figure Hulkbuster, another stand-out BAF in the range. This is...a beast of a figure! Standing 23 cm (9 inches) tall, weighing in at a very hefty 888 grams (1 pound, 15 ounces) this big bloke has 14 articulations, though you can't do much with his mitts, as their movement is restricted by the humungous forearm guards. This figure has been released twice as a BAF, with the following individuals in each case, which of course each had one component of the Buster included in their packaging. The colours between the two different BAF Hulkbusters released were also noticably different, with the second issue being a deeper, more 'hot rod red' screen accurate colour plastic than the first, which the punters thought looked a bit too 'toylike'.

 

BAF Hulkbuster Release 1 - The first somewhat eclectic set features Doctor Strange/Valkyrie/Blizzard/Vision/War Machine/Thundra and black and gold armoured Marvel NOW! Iron Man.

 

BAF Hulkbuster Release 2 - The actual Age Of Ultron set is naturally Avengers heavy and includes Hulk/War Machine/Iron Man/Captain America/War Machine/Black Widow/Hawkeye/Loki and Thor.

 

The third and final row...

 

-On the left, the Hasbro 2015 Titan Hulkbuster, regular sized figure. This is the 'bog standard' Titan Hulkbuster, which is reduced in size so it's not actually in proper scale with the regular line, but is around the same size as them. It has seven points of articulation and stands 29 cm (11 inches) tall.

 

-Dominating the middle is the Biggest Bloke there is! Well, very nearly. 45 cm (17 1/2 inches) of the 2015 Hasbro Titan Hulkbuster. Which held the record as the largest Hulkbuster toy until the Hot Toys version hits the pavement at a colossal 55 cm (21 inches). The Titan weighs in at 1.039 kilos (2.29 pounds) and has even less than the usual Titan series limited articulation, with only two points of articulation beyond the shoulder swivelling beefy arms. But those two points are pretty swish! A large section of the front rachets upwards on hinges, allowing you to place a regular Hasbro Titan Iron Man figure inside of the beastie, which is the main feature that has delayed the Hot Toys 'Buster's production so long, achieved here with elegant simplicity. The helmet pivots open 'n all, which allows you to see the other figure inside. It's a neat trick, which perfectly represents the prudent habit that Stark has of wearing the Hulkbuster armour over one of his less invincible suits. Always a good idea, as the most common fate of many, but not all, of his 'Buster wardrobe is that they get busted by Hulk, often being literally punched off him by old Greenskin's SMASHING fists! So, he kinda needs a regular suit to boost him the heck out of his tax write off! Anyway, he's more or less the right size to also trap the Titan Ultron inside; more of which, anon.

 

-On the right end of the line is the 2015 Hasbro Titan Electronic Hulkbuster. At 34 cm (13 inches) tall, this is a chunkier version of the regular Titan, with five articulations, one of which is a wicked cool 'Iron Man SMASH!" 'jackhammer' action on the right arm, bringing to toy pummeling life one of the key features of the on-screen 'Veronica' suit. It activates suitable punching sound FX, though lacks the appropriate humourous dialogue, "GOTOSLEEPGOTOSLEEPGOTOSLEEP!"

 

There's some other sound FX: heavy metal walking, flight, plus some battle winning banter:

 

"Cap, we have to stop Ultron!"

"Oh yeah, this is power!"

"Whoa, big guy!"

"Rerouting power to ARC reactor."

"Hulkbuster, powering up!"

"Repulsor blast!" (BIG PEW!!)

"Thor, lightning strike, NOW!"

"Cap, cover the perimeter!"

"Ultron, you're just a cheap copy!"

"Avengers! Assemble!"

"Bruce, it's time to calm down."

"Mk 43, hit Ultron, Now!"

 

It can also interact, vocally, with other electronic Titans, which is a hoot 'n a holler.

 

"Let's armour up!"

 

Next, the dishonourable opposition.

 

All of the robots, cyborgs and other metallic bods that Ultron either manufactured or has ‘turned’ and which the Hulkbusters have subsequently quelled.

 

These are scattered all over the battlefield..literally in the case of the broken ‘bitzers’, so it’s rather difficult for me to pinpoint them. No worries, you have fun ‘bot spotting!

 

The Ultrons.

 

-Well then the biggest bloke (does my bot look big in this?) is the 2015 30 cm (12 inch) Hasbro Avengers: Age Of Ultron Titan electronic Ultron. This is the same one that the ladies knocked about in The Tenth Age Of Ultron. All stashed safely in a bloody great Hulkbuster and bound for sunnier climes in…the Sun! (So, nah, not Aussie! A bit cooler.) Ooroo, maniacal metal matey…NOT!!

 

-17 cm (7 inch) 2012 Hasbro Marvel Legends Comic Book-ish Ultron. This was part of the Iron Man 3 movie tie-in Build-A-Figure wave that gave you all the components to put together a large, blue, Iron Monger figure. The body’s essentially a re-purposed Titanium Man, only cast in silvery plastic, but still has a pretty good look to it, with a fair range of articulation.

 

-2015 4 cm (1 inch) Wizkids/NECA Heroclix Ultron made from Iron Legion parts. I’ve never actually played the game that these wee folks are from, but I like them ‘cos they’re teeny tiny and intricate.

 

-3 x Avengers Iron Legion Stark Industries drones re-purposed by Ultron, who got to them before Tony tumbled to Ultron’s ability to control hardware. These 7cm (2 3/4 inch) figures are part of the 2015 Hasbro Avengers: Age Of Ultron tie-in wave. The Ultron came with two untainted Iron Legionnaires to fight. These lil blokes only have five points of articulation. I thought it would be cool if the three of them were falling over in a kind of stop motion sequence after being punched…

 

-The big mix ’n match Hasbro Marvel Super Hero Mashers have tiny micro figure versions. This 6 cm (2 and change inch) 2016 one came from the Iron Man Vs Ultron battle pack. These figures, interestingly, are made in Vietnam, instead of China. It only has three points of articulation, which of course are also where the parts can be swapped with others in the line.

 

-Hasbro also has a line of Playskool Marvel Super Hero Adventures. Again, this 2014 6 cm (2 and a bit inch) comic book inspired Ultron came in a battle pack with Iron Man.

 

-The 2005 Toy Biz Hasbro Series 8 Modern Armour Iron Man figure, sculpted by Dave Cortez, came with an elaborate base that depicts a wall that Stark has (presumably) blasted through, with a pile of comprehensively broken Ultron drone parts. Avengers Disassemble! The parts are strewn around the set.

 

-The 18 cm (7 inch) Hasbro Marvel Select Black Widow figure, came with a base littered with smashed robot parts. Way to go Widow! Some of the metals limbs are being used as clubs by the Hulkbusters…that's Irony, Man!

 

-Weirdest of all is the tottering “Ultimate Ultron” build-a-figure that looks like a big mess made from multi coloured gelatine. That creepy composite drone is made from assorted components included in the 7cm (2 3/4 inch) 2015 Hasbro Avengers: Age Of Ultron tie-in wave. The semi-transparent gel colours, along with the not too well engineered peg and socket joints let down what might have been a cool toy. Longer pegs and deeper sockets would help, and I am very tempted to fix that, and repaint the whole thing silver.

 

It doesn’t hold together well when assembled and there’s a bit of guesswork involved there too, as the pictures on the back of the carded packs are so small that it’s a little hard to follow. Well, okay then, there’s some small fun to be had plugging in additional bits beyond the design, so there’s that in its favour. I recall this toy caused a little stir when it can out before the movie, as fan punters guessed it might reveal a plot point where Ultron creates a ginormous robot from all his drones…thankfully, Joss Whedon didn’t go where so many other robot based movies have gone before. It doesn't look like much but a jumble of parts, unless filmed in isolation.

 

-4 cm (2 inch) LEGO Ultron Mini-Fig that belongs to the 2015 LEGO Hulkbuster Smash playset, #76031. This naughty little spud can be attached to the pivoting flying rig arm in the playset, or you can use him as a target for the projectiles from the Hulk Buster suit. You can rotate the head to give two ranges of evil electronic emotions….

 

The Rest Of The Robots

 

Literally a mixed bag straight from the robots and cyborgs toy box….Ultron preaching to the subverted, there. Essentially I selected them on the basis of them being grey, black or silverish in colour.

 

-There's a quick New Battlestar Galactica Cylon knocked out in Super Sculpey that I needed for a Chrissy themed shoot, where I had its toasty torso peeking out evilly from behind a blood smeared bauble.

 

-One of the larger Hulkbusters is clutching some of the tentacles from a bootleg Doctor Octopus figure. I don’t know what happened to poor Octavius himself!

 

-A disembodied mecha arm belongs to a 1989 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Krang ‘Walker Exoframe’. I seem to recall legendary Star Trek fan, Bjo Trimble, gifting that to me at a convention back in the ‘90s.

 

-Speaking of TMNT, there are two shark jawed Baxter Stockman Mouser robots trying to bite through Hulkbuster armour. They came with the 2003 Playmates April O’Neil figure and are wickedly cool, with their big, spring loaded chompy jaws!

 

-Upended in the aftermath is a 10 cm (3.75 inch) Davros, Doctor Who villain supreme, in his distinctive Dalek travel machine. It’s actually a 2014 Christmas ornament…how remarkably festive!

 

-16 cms (6.25 inches) from his footpads to the tip of his antenna, lies a 2000 robot Bender, from Futurama. I’m not sure if he got caught up in the battle or whether he happened to be merely passed out there before the stoush. Neat figure, by the way, as he’s very…well, bendy, and his torso door opens to reveal either stacks of cash or intoxicating cans of motor oil. It came with a nifty Suicide Booth stand ’n all.

 

-Marvel build-a-figure waves will often leave you with extra bits n’ bobs if you don’t collect all the figures. Somewhere in the ruination is the double gatling gun arm from a Mandroid Build-A-Figure wave..

 

-2014 Captain America:Winter Soldier. Poor, brainwashed Bucky! Twice subverted!

 

-Some genuine Iron Man enemies here. 2009 5.5 cm (2 inch) Super Hero Squad Hasbro Iron Man 2 movie tie-in Hammeroids…er, Hammerdroids! The green drone comes from the Final Battle 3-Pack, and the silver and grey drone is from the Hi-Tech Showdown set. They didn’t fare well against Iron Man and War Machine in the film, so I wouldn’t give them a rat’s against a dozen Hulkbusters.

 

-Another Whovian reference, this time a 2006 15 cm (6 inch) New Doctor Who Cyberman. "Delete THIS!"

 

-There’s a 3 cm (1 inch) LEGO Ultron figure being held by the Lego Hulkbuster. Both do come from the 2015 LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Hulk Buster Smash set.

 

-A 10 cm (4 inch) Iron Giant figure spun off from the 1999 animated movie based on Ted Hughe's 1968 novel, The Iron Man. This one was a giveaway with the VHS video tape release.

 

-2008 Hasbro 15 cm (6 inch) Titanium Man. Again, an actual traditional Iron Man enemy, though this is a tie-in with the original Iron Man movie, albeit of a character who never appeared in it. Really an aftermarket ‘target-of-opportunity’ piece.

 

-Star Trek time, with a 12 cm (5 inch), 1992 Playmates Borg drone. “Assimilate THIS!!”

 

-More Iron Mongery. There’s a wee 2008 Hasbro Super Hero Squad Iron Monger, inexplicably painted in Iron Man gold, which vaguely echoes Tony Stark’s original comic book first armour being that colour after his initial outings in the grey Model I suit. This one came from the Iron Monger Attacks battle pack.

 

-Some cyborg action in the form of a 12 cm (5 inch) Robocop 1988 Kenner movie tie-in figure. I’d forgotten this little fella has a cap firing mechanism built into his back! (That's 'cap, not 'Cap'! No worries Mr Rogers.)

 

-Okay, there’s a certain resemblance between Skynet and Ultron (Marvel got there way first, of course) so it made sense to throw in a Terminator endoskeleton or two. The 10 cm (4 inch) ( flesh-free one comes from 2009, so I’m sure it’s a tie-in for the Terminator: Salvation movie. Quite impressively detailed for something so small, actually.

 

-Doctor Who again. 2014 Character Options Wave 4 Skovox Blitzer….isn’t that a great name! It’s a four legged alien war robot that the 12th Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi, encountered and defeated in the Doctor Who episode, The Caretaker.

 

-I threw in another Terminator, this ‘time’ (see what I did there?) a 2009 13 cm (6 inch) Playmate, with a bit more synthetic skin on it. Again, another movie tie-in.

 

-One last Marvel toy. A 2011 13 cm (6 inch) Hasbro Destroyer, fresh from Asgard and the first Thor movie. A red L.E.D lights up its chest when you press its tummy. As you would.

 

-Finally, I included a Kenner 1998 10 cm (4 inch) Darth Vader. Ancient religious sorcerer's ways vs Starktech, lightsaber vs repulsor ray. Stark Wars for the win.

 

LOL. All this and it’s “Part One”? Sure! See, I set out a long time ago to do this photo-folksong with the idea that I’d be incorporating Hot Toy’s invincible Hulkbuster toy, which was announced in 2014. Several years later, I’m still waiting for what will undoubtedly be the greatest action figure ever made…when it’s shipped! (First quarter of 2018, reportedly!) Meanwhile, here’s “Part One”. There's an upgraded Veronica in Avengers: Infinity War. Hot Toys, don't you DARE to delay just to retool to add variant components to the Hulkbuster!

 

Doubtless, wee Whedon will learn much from this dress rehearsal, and will incorporate fresh insights into the eventual re-shoot!

     

Precise bricks texture

Kryžių kalnas, or the Hill of Crosses, (Lithuanian: Kryžių kalnas) is a site of pilgrimage about 12 km north of the city of Šiauliai in northern Lithuania. The precise origin of the practice of leaving crosses on the hill is uncertain, but it is believed that the first crosses were placed on the former hill fort after the 1831 Uprising in Poland, Lithuania, and other western regions of the Tsarist Empire. Over the generations, not only crosses and crucifixes, but statues of the Virgin Mary, carvings of Lithuanian patriots and thousands of tiny effigies and rosaries have been brought here by pilgrims. The exact number of crosses is unknown, but estimates put it at about 100,000 at present.

 

Over the generations, the place has come to signify the peaceful endurance of Lithuanian Catholicism despite the threats it faced throughout history. After the Third Partition of Poland in 1795, Lithuania became part of the Russian Empire. Poles and Lithuanians unsuccessfully rebelled against Russian authorities in 1831 and 1863. These two uprisings are connected with the beginnings of the hill: as families could not locate bodies of perished rebels, they started putting up symbolic crosses in their memory.

 

When the old political structure of Eastern Europe fell apart in 1918, Lithuania once again declared its independence. Throughout this time, the Hill of Crosses was used as a place for Lithuanians to pray for peace, for their country, and for the loved ones they had lost during the Wars of Independence.

 

The site took on a special significance during the years 1944–1990, when Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union. Continuing to travel to the hill and leave their tributes, Lithuanians used it to demonstrate their allegiance to their original identity, religion and heritage. It was a venue of peaceful resistance, although the Soviets worked hard to remove new crosses, and bulldozed the site at least three times (including attempts in 1963 and 1973). There were even rumors that the authorities planned to build a dam on the nearby Kulvė River, a tributary to Mūša, so that the hill would end up underwater.

 

On September 7, 1993, Pope John Paul II visited the Hill of Crosses, declaring it a place for hope, peace, love and sacrifice. In 2000 a Franciscan hermitage was opened nearby. The interior decoration draws links with La Verna, the mountain where St. Francis is said to have received his stigmata. The hill remains under nobody’s jurisdiction; therefore people are free to build crosses as they see fit.

 

Occasionally, significant parts of the site burn down in accidental fires. The site attracts pilgrims from across Europe, but especially Lithuania and Poland.

 

This description incorporates text from the English Wikipedia.

This analysis attempts to explain why light is limited in its flight through the demi-'vacuum' of the 'foam' of space at a precise set speed limit of "299,792,458 meters per second"* in the form of a 'three phase' answer (with end notes as comments), pulled from the shelf of common knowledge and sense as led by the key concepts in Science from which the explanation of the Universes perpetual operation and expansion as a process can be seen in the meta as one vast 'integrated circuit' writ large.

 

There is a 'ingredient' that creates and thus forms the common atomic denominators in the micro to macro physiological energetic gears running as subsystems to propel The Cosmic Show forward and backwards through the foam and fog of Space Time we know to be driven on Earth by the atomic energy of the nucleus of the three families of bacteria that I have identified (to complete several vexing puzzles) which comprise a Cosmic literal as well metaphorical barrel which is constituted, 'stocked and locked' the with the requisite recipe for the phylogenetic trees perpetual existence and growth owing to being a cog in the Suns Dark Material photovoltic gear box or barrel as analogy may be. The natural source of any and all exponential growth checked by its shrink, as Dark Energy which atomically link the food to combustion chains by means (hydro)carbon storage means to name two to hold life so as to bring quarks back in 'good time' to their respective Suns as well dark/black holes in the quantum dynamic mechanical process of connecting you and me as "we are all connected" by means the gears our atmosphere to the Earths economic activity over history which in turn forms part of the natural inherent limit on the speed of light which is a function of the atomic 'surf' of the 'foam of space' that enables the lights ride from its source to its destination by means the Quantum Tunnel of particles making and breaking as waves, exposing therein a large piece of this puzzle that shall explored further through the conceptual prism in terms of 'hull speed' as limit to light speed.

 

When probing the question of the speed of lights limits one quickly and repeatedly hits intellectual impasse and obstruction called Dark Matter and Energy which defines the cosmological constant and the singular ability to cause curvature in light. Thus Dark Matter has become evident to my mind as to why light travels slower in a liquid in the micro, and also perfectly explains in the macro over time and space why light passes so slowly through distant galaxies verses so comparatively fast right past them.

 

Bacterial expansion and growth can be observed and measured over Space Time to account for the 'Spooky Action at a Distance' of celestial bodies, and should get rid of 'special relativity' if Bacteria is accounted for as Dark Matter in math terms which are clear and becoming more focused with more examples thundering into clarity daily in need of addition to this ever growing tract. The nuts and bolts of the quantum dynamic math that are galloping along of the path the speed of sound to focus the mind so as to not get trammeled by the causation of the limit of light speed of light -- so as to be understood by myself and then explained to the thundering herd that follows this topic and racing in general that in terms of 'horse sense' that 'power' can be explained in elementally when it is understood as that; "The speed of the leader determines the rate of the pack." -- c/o a quotation and the logic contained therein from the noted Horseman D. Wayne Lukas.

 

Connecting that to a 'quanta' of light moving as fast as function of its weakest link. A yin yang thing that will be the gist of this between the lines discussion of attempting to figure out what is 'in the shadow' of the unknown, that produces a speed limit on light, by using the light of the known world to begin to understand what is unknown by the process of reverse electrical engineering with research and imagination to understand how expansion on a Universal scale runs organically by the power of light to go to fro a solar powered source to nitrogen bacterial blooming engine whose waste gases goes boom as that matter morphs by means the phase transition over space and time so as to explain and understanding the process shown above in terms of Dark Matter care of the powers the gas and waters technology h2O and N02 + Hydrogen to form the Universal fuel system as well fluid for the transmission of radiant energy by means of turning the gears of the water cycle and thus the gears of the wheels of life in a expanding Universe; well then that is my hypothesis with the assembled 'organic material' being the ingredients that (in) forms the rational basis for the abstract intuitive logic of my thinking and writing on this subject.

 

The energy that makes this Universal "long story -- longer" is electric and has a organic component as well logic that follows: IF light is know to be Electric in a natural world (as A.E. explained), THEN it must have a organic component to run the physics that limits its speed in flight between the solar and or artificial source and the Planet or object on which it fall as observable light. THEREFORE because there is a light cycle (side note to self from Justice Lewis Brandeis who tells us "Sunshine is the best disinfectant", ergo [there are bands of that light have power which is the gamma band=> golden garlic bread chicken soup + the rot resistance of cedar + the disinfecting and health power of citrus that run and a vector of the intense power of the fine slice of the Sun]), HENCE there must be in the above rainbow water and something organic to make it so, which is 'rooted in' the atomic core of Bacteria. Let us call it for the purposes of this argument; photons, water vapor, bands of colored bacteria in photo bloom, being bent by the atmosphere of the Earth, and coming home to roost as a beam from the Sun slowed only by its water born cyanobacterial load which for a long time was understood to be the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ether_%28classical_element%29 holding bonds of light as they are scattered in a bow over Earths atmosphere arched into spectral rain band bits for your close consideration and visual pleasure.

 

THEREFORE let us reason and think along the logical lines of words on the subject left by Tesla who was generally antagonistic towards theories about the conversion of matter into energy. Tesla was also critical of Einstein's theory of relativity as evidenced by the two paragraph quotation below from a statement made and found in the Tesla Publications + wikipedia and extracted in long form below -- quote Tesla;

 

"I hold that space cannot be curved, for the simple reason that it can have no properties. It might as well be said that God has properties. He has not, but only attributes and these are of our own making. Of properties we can only speak when dealing with matter filling the space. To say that in the presence of large bodies space becomes curved is equivalent to stating that something can act upon nothing. I, for one, refuse to subscribe to such a view."

 

"Tesla claimed to have developed his own physical principle regarding matter and energy that he started working on in 1892 and in 1937, at age 81, claimed in a letter to have completed a "dynamic theory of gravity" that "[would] put an end to idle speculations and false conceptions, as that of curved space". He stated that the theory was "worked out in all details" and that he hoped to soon give it to the world. Further elucidation of his theory was never found in his writings." -

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla#Publications

 

The words thoughts and reflected works of Tesla do however leave some evidence of his condensed views on 'matter'. Tesla's talent and ability as a big 'picture thinker' who was able to understand and comprehend through mechanical means harness the power of the natural world's organic 'shape shifting' by means technology before anybody else and thus pave the way for much of the 20th century technology by means his work in applied science and industry.

 

The up and down shots of which to this theory are written in stone and, then as subtext to another image of mine that goes that addresses the nature of our EXPANDING planet in a expanding Universe in whack at the General Unified Theory as it pertains to the Dinosaurs, Climate and such on 'channel'; www.flickr.com/photos/tremain_calm/5018015234/in/set-7215...

 

Looking deeper for a the full spectrum explanation the inner workings of the above photograph of a rainbow by means of attempting to conduct a aspect of the fabled 'light thought experiment' where by light is seen to be comprised of the dynamic function the sum of its 1) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandwidth_%28signal_processing%29 such that the whole ship being a function of its parts (bandwidth ) processes that unevenly weighted load of different types of light which in essence a function as whole ship of the sum of its parts sailing only as fast its 2) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hull_speed permits over "the rubbery membrane" of Space Time in terms of E=mc2 to form "Gods Own Brand™ of interstellar Universal en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_circuit formed by a en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_wave acting on the and with the capacity of the receiver to form electric charge that gives off the glow of the photon to the point of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_circuit along the lines of predictable atomic results (lighting/sparks) , if any given circuit becomes over heated to the point of shorting out -- and either 'breaking the Gammow Window' by hitting the Gamma burst of energy needed to do so, or - going to bits c/o Black Hole Energy run in Hawking's Radiation by means of so much local atomic riot to move matter on its way though a quantum tunnel in the rotary evaporative distillation process of matter/quarks going 'home'.

 

Case in point that illustrates my thinking with the following example in 'light' of the news that "After 7 billion years of travel, high and low energy photons arrive at NASA's Fermi spacecraft a mere 900ms apart, suggesting that space-time isn't the bubbly foam of quantum theory but seems closer to Einstein's smooth rubbery membrane"* because the light beam consisting of high and, low energy photon particle pairing reaches what amounts to a state of terminal velocity 'relatively speaking' that of the mass of equivalence of the sun that is a boat of a 'certain size' at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hull_speed as form of metaphorical analogy. Light is just pure essence on its way to and fro substance in the way of making and breaking the Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Oxygen bonds to run those cycles over space-time to run a Universe by means of applied color theory of same to dark matter and energy - as the heat and light of matter being burnt, and the 'star stuff' that fuels the combustion process in perpetuity on account of the 'breeder reactor' construction of the 'plants' that collectively power the Universes quantum mechanics to engineer the self fueling and self expansion dynamically as 'features and benefits' of a well designed comprehensively thought out expanding organic operating system found in Nature.

 

Back sailing and thinking at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_speed to consider that any given beam or ray of light as being a metaphorical ship of made 'of a certain size' (or frequency if you will) of E=MC2 which can travel only so fast due to the limits of it physical constituent parts against each other and time and space; ergo , and by extenuation -- a beam of light move only so fast due to the inherent drag of its content of high and low energy photons moving in 'push-me-pull-you' +/- (particles) to form waves to weave the smooth grid that is the matrix of Space and Time that has been confirmed to confirm Einsteins thinking with measurement; www.space.com/15297-gamma-rays-prove-einstein-space-time-...

  

Another way to 'see' hull speed is by analogy furnished from the experience of a 'round the world sailor' who wrote a serious book on the subject; Donald Street Jr.'s thoughts on hull speed contained in his book; "The Ocean Sailing Yacht", fully illustrate in words my point on the limiting factor of mass moving through space and the factor of 'drag' created by space itself -- as we see the world in the slow motion quantum mechanics of big boat sailing with the composite of so 'much mass equivalence' in the form and function of the thoughts expressed so precisely in the 1973 1st Edition on p.58 : "Whole books have been written about hull speed. In brief, there is a transverse wave system which shows itself along the side of the hull (beam of light) in a series of crests. Having measured the distance between crests, either on board or from a photograph, one can obtain a quite accurate estimate of speed… . The length of the wave (distance between the crests) is the most limiting factor in the speed of a boat. Once the length of the boat, the bow and stern are supported by the wave crests, but nothing supports the middle of the boat, and she tends to squat. In effect, she digs a hole and sits in it.

At various times, in the West Indies, I have actually experienced extreme squatting. At about 8.6 or 8.8 knots Iolarire throws a high bow wave, a deep trough develops amidships, and the stern wave comes piling on board. She has dug a hold and is sitting in it." -- Don Street Jr.

 

Same holds I believe for the constituent bands of a beam of light/the above rainbow. There is a basic interplay that results in photons electrical chemical drag through the foam of space -- by my logical reckoning.

The inherent power in this 'static' process, of the created by the energy that moves 'standing waves' that we see as beams of light moving at a set finite speed over time and space -- account for the fullness of the rainbow and therefore its bits in terms of the sum of a given beams of lights total 'Band Width' across the spectrum, which is tantamount to its capacity as expressed in water moving through a given pipe diameter analogy//also see hull speed as to why the flow of light is finite and at terminal velocity from any single source whereby space time is the governor of brightness before heat is turned to light to matter (liquids/solids/life) to anti-matter (broken atomic bonds, stored in the spores of fungus, molds, and mildew, (which enable combustion) and back again in a cycle that can not be over run in terms of relative speed or space (w/o resorting to the proverbial next larger atomic grade hammer, in the process of the running of combustion grades of way water cooled en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellar_nucleosynthesis {see my forthcoming book; "Boiler Plate"}.

 

As a result and consequence of this insight space time becomes a relatively two way street when it comes to energy exchange going and coming around via light and the making/breaking of the Hydrogen bond to complete the C/N/O cycles -- and somehow in the process resolving the faint young star paradox, by returning matter/energy/atomic bonds of some type to the stars as a result of the light they shine to re-power them to a relative extent.

 

Evidence of this: "Two way street" and or sided cosmic coin source receptor, water memory maker by means the foam of the water of the fabric of the waves that make and break

Time and Space are written prima facie as the hard evidence of the working of the Natural world, as demonstrated by the workings of Nature™ as evidenced by Einstein winning a Nobel prize for figuring out and explaining that Light contained electricity which explains how the Universe transmits its power over Time and Space. This discovering how light contains atomic electric Energy is evidence of the Dark Material common denominator the power of the sun to run the gears of photosynthesis as well basic animal biology -- all power by sunlight, and, the elements, mixed over the waves of the Big Surf of Space and Time.

 

I reason that everything must be related and connected, as the title of Einstein's most famous book and theory suggest on the basis of; "Relativity" -- radically organically so (as opposed to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_relativity so) , to be understood (with the 'arrow of time' stuck through both side of the coin of) , the macro and the micro, are being continuously flipped according to Game Theory on the basis of the Energy input squared.

 

Therefore the Speed of light is finite and set because that is the 'capacity' of a prism when the light is broken down to its constituent wavelengths and parts as a function of its wave movement) in terms of bandwidth. This can be calculated in terms of 'hull speed'. once all the variables are known; as it pertains to all matters of half life, in terms of sunlight and heat exposure I strongly theorize and, suspect.

 

Concluding that therefore the entire Universe acts as one vast multi-layered super massive en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_circuit literally and figuratively and as the heretofore missing metaphor for understanding (my [misinformed and or original]point of how) the light source and every single one of its constituent contact points that it hits causing effects on those atoms and their bonds with photon impacts on half lives as light does 'its stuff' it is limited in relation to and therefore accounting for en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorentz_transformation (and derivative impressive equations for each resultant data point compete with radiance and heat transfer) My last two bits of thoughts on this matter to the account of the project of reverse engineering a thought experiment to see into the reality of Gods own en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotation_%28music%29 but more importantly I see the Earth, Stars and all life between and beyond as governed by en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_evaporation and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resonance_%28particle_physics%29 in conjunction with wrapping ones head fully around the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bose%E2%80%93Einstein_condensate .

 

Observing for the 'record' here and now, that in this macro en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate it stands to reason that like Einstein imagining 'being the light', or riding it, is the only way understanding the substance and the essence of the stuff of Spaghetti/String theory; www.flickr.com/photos/tremain_calm/4595157229/in/set-7215... may be the ticket to understanding the General Unified Theory of how 'the light' manages the journey and magic to power a Universe by means a gear that is named tuna fish that is 'Star-Kissed' in into the macromolecules of top of the food chain fuel nutritional matter that brim with energy that can and does daily transmit the knowledge which makes material science and organic chemistry go round the sun and off to black holes to be reprocessed back to atomic square one in the stuff of a proverbial '1000 new suns', that will shine in a future so remote as to be theoretically beyond me such that my head spins -- now if only somebody could manage to slow down some relative atomic tops from turning long enough to examine and analyze the particles involved in the werks when 'chilled' in the micro, well hell congratulated them on the (2012) Nobel Physics Prize Serge Haroche, of the Collège de France and the École Normale Supérieure, and David J. Wineland National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Colorado; nyti.ms/2tEbiBH

"Have a Cigar" -- > E.g ( youtu.be/8PKHYDqxEAE ) Rosebud edition -- to that group of big tuna thinkers who worked so well the fine detail and sharp angles of this part of the Science Problem Set™ -- solved.

  

The gearbox of which finds light unable to move any faster than the set and degree of ; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_entanglement of its atomic bonds, which therefore limits light because it is a physical atomic thing and can not be forced to move faster than its 'weakest atomic link' and or a matter of -- square peg, round holes marching through space making light -- no hammer in the universe big enough to smash atoms, and their bonds up their own rear end, so to speak, w/o lighting, etc. -- otherwise that logically that light get made into water that can find its way into a hydrocarbon which contains VOC's which can and do disappear into some sort of 'black hole', which would seem to stand to reason based on the proto-physics of the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_hole an or color it what I perceive is as so much 'liquid sunshine' coming down on Desert rainbows powered by the Sun, Moon, and Stars working in 'concert' and in a to form a closed loop en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_circuit that has a outlet for expansion by means of a en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feedback and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distortion loops, that makes possible the range of pleasing Purple Hazes we all have come to know in the audio and visual realm, in matter and 'in my brain' [the missing 4% of the Universe being lost in individual and collective thought {given.-) "words are the only thing that last forever" ... as E.g. in stone; flic.kr/p/hLd1Sk .

 

One last couple of wonders -- if''n that rainbow does not have something to do with ones capacity to witness (but predicated on completely understanding) the effects of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_lensing and the upshot for the speed of distant light speed that might be contained in the 'bandwidth' and bonds of the rainbow, I do believe, there is another angel which is this thought that I am still hanging onto which is 2 cents bet on the proverbial "'Billion Dollar Question" and offered for the group minds collective consideration as 'bugs' being the micro to macro Universal Dark Material key to under standing the physics and organic chemistry of the combustion and food chains of and biological life unlocked and comprehended.

 

If the General Unified Theory is to be successfully reconstructed from the currently constructed model so as to be a reality based version that checks with Theory in addition to the ingredients of Nature and facts of Matter by constructing a micro/macro perpetual motion machine to resemble the Universe such as the one I reside, requires the basic building blocks upon which it operates to be produced by Bacteria as the agent of running the Nitrogen cycle such that the Oxygen cycle also functions to produce Carbon thus life as we know it is off to a flying start with some subatomic particles to be understood to perhaps travel faster than the speed of light, as suggested by the latest experimentation/loose plug/threads of Theoretical Physics of the days of yore; which I am still following below as a matter of academic interest.

 

My reasoning is as follows: If neutrinos travel at the speed of light. There MUST be a faster moving object to possibly conceptually cause motion beCause in order to see/be 'LIGHT' there must be a Newtonian CAUSE acting upon that which powers the quanta and photons, and electricity that is contained and travels that IS the 'light' in each and every instance over time and space.

 

The action of some phase of the gamma cycle 'spooling up' the energy needed which I believe is a release of Dark Matter combusted in a 2 cycle movement which I theorize act as the precursor and cause of what moves the PHOTONS to the ON position which enable us to observe the phenomenon that is 'the light', from any sun, bulb, or source according to Laws, equations notions and historical group (open) mind frame of reference of Newton/Einstein/Bethe/Hoyle. It is a process-- if one goes 'thought experimental' on each possible instance of light. It is a carbon and water fest with out whacking the photons with a FTL spark there is no light. I suspect the faster the FTL 'flash' the more action on the photon 'bang', and hence the brighter the light -- is in some bulbs/stars are brighter than others.

 

InSide Note: This FTL aspect of the 'big picture' presented here is the only one the there is any level of self doubt about but is presented anyway for the sake of 'putting it out there' conceptually as part of this picture if it makes any better sense a result at some future date or with better resources than mine.

 

Continuing to report and reason that it is the role of subatomic to be named later but we know Bacteria is Dark Matter and Energy (in a version of this (following the; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tachyon line of reasoning) that to serve as the ‪precursor‬ to the photon in the operation of the Gamma Cycle™ as a mechanism for the making breaking of the hydrogen bond in the CNO cycle in a process of here on earth localized en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nucleosynthesis (think time over space of a baking oven, in conjunction with a digestive track to power life; its en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellar_nucleosynthesis doing the functionality of what I term the 'condensed stellar variety' (according to: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Hoyle) as opposed to the supernova nucleosynthetic super-sized variety, however it is appears on 'steady state', and one in the same subatomic processes, powered by the same, 'garden variety' cosmic rays, coming and going around via the Gamma (ray) Cycle sending hydrogen and helium back from the planets to power the Sun (perhaps I theorize resolving) the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faint_young_sun_paradox. I'm calling "Dark Matter™ for the purpose of the construct of this version of the Universe the family of bacteria that binds N20 to carbon, completing-enabling that critical side of the combustion equation. By coming to understanding how Dark Matter allows the Energy of the core of cyanobacteria quarks to be 'beamed' by light as the atomic 'brains' of bacteria as bands of electric light and water falling water into the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primordial_sea , I am able to 'abide' to see the role of CyanoBacteria kick starting breath on Earth, and keeping it going as the proto-stuff of hydrocarbons, now and forever in a N2O bound loop with the Sun as its 'atomic twin' by means of what Steven Hawking and Co. describe as the power of the unpaired quark forever seeking it mate with great power over the distance of Space and Time such that the rejoinder of quarks is the 'back hammer/jackhammer' of matter getting re-bonded such that birds and fish can find the way back to their 'atomic square one' for the purposes of migration, and internal combustion technology is possible in by this line of material logical reasoning.

 

From which the following the atomic bonds of the food chain as I have come to understand its works and construction by doing the organic chemical reverse engineering of the worlds food supply (or some portion thereof) as a for instance, to compute the "food math" (of water per ton to make/bind a commodities Mass Equivalence/composition) that reveal the binding forces and stored in matter that are the result I hypothesis of: GAMMA/XRAY CYCLES™ working as the atomic binding force of the mass of the universe that also provides its movement with energy, in a closed loop system re-powered by the hydrogen/helium burned by the sun as light + the carbon/nitrogen/oxygen cycles and the supremely important hydrogen bond being broken up and down the food chain, as a ladder action holding the show together an a return run back to the Sun, in the completion of carbon/nitrogen cycles, working in conjunctions with all the forces and a stew of the elements, to bring us life as we know it past present and future; is my bid to describe the missing cosmic cog that runs the 3-4 ring circus of reality, like a watch, which we can time our perception and measure what I attempt to make sense so that science can find a subatomic on the same 'wavelength' that beats light and heat to the 'on' via this atomic chain reaction of logic which rambles/soars to/fro near book length in anther space in time which goes on to explain in detail why birds flock and don't crash, and fish schools move in synch via the radio power of this far fetched but mildly plausible 'radio'logical scheme. Perhaps it is the speed of light 'radio power control' that runs the fish and birds; but that does not so much matter as the fact that they 'are what they ate' which puts them on the same 'wavelength' in conjunction with their genome. Run by the power of the sun which is re-spun via by my thinking and logic the vector of the Gamma Cycle being run to completion by the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B6ssbauer_effect such that Bacterial or other single cellular source as vector + a noted Higgs field generator of mass in the movement of the atomic energy of the sun through of the food chain, from the depths of the ocean to mountain tops to the Sun -- the gasses made by bacteria power this not all together random 'Shot in the dark' from the Nevada Desert: conceptually FTL -- the 'boom' resides in the land of the fast, and fast thinking, E.g.; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ThrustSSC where I happen to vacation and reside part time, so as to - - - be able to have the space to - - - - think to conclude with the thought that the terminal velocity of light the rainbow, and thus light is caused as a function of the 'Bacterial load' in the atmosphere which acts as a dynamic brake on its bands moving through time which curve under the load of close examination and the earths atmosphere to reveal the essence of Dark Matter at the key to combustion and life by its role in water and gas as understood to be only made by Bacteria as the missing link in the Universal combustion chain of command, as I piece the puzzle together with the given pieces to compete it above with out resorting to new ones.

 

*Which is analogous to a light bending sugar or salt water at different temperature** in the micro due to the atomic 'economic activity' of bacteria in light, which also very well explains the Dark Matter mystery at the Macro over the light years of Space Time by the same process of combustion by bacterial growth cycles of the C/N/O chain running those worlds we watch turn over time and space long past such that star stuff might be even viewed as "bacterial molasses electric liquid sunshine shows/welcome to the machines -- that can't be rushed, 'two steps forward, one step back, as so much fertilizer" as a metaphorical explanation of the quantum dynamics of a given beam of light, such that it undergoes the same relative braking action whether passing though distant galaxy in the macro, a drop of water in the micro - explained by the quantum mechanics of its bands, source, and therefore how it behaves by curving in any relative 'field' of material - this is my understanding of Science today.

 

** Notes/data points to consider on the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refractometer as a Dark Matter meter for consideration of Bacteria as Dark Matter in space. One must think about the science, or it might just hit you as it did me -- and my attempt to explain might be well enough by the end of this photo set or at any given data point that crossed with your lives learning and mine such that I invested in this aspect of this project thus far.

 

"Temperature has a very important influence on the refractive index measurement . Therefore, the temperature of the prism and the temperature of the sample have to be controlled with high precision. There are several subtly different designs for controlling the temperature but there are some key factors common to all such as high precision temperature sensors and Peltier devices to control the temperature of the sample and the prism. The temperature control accuracy of these devices should be designed so that the variation in sample temperature is small enough that it will not cause a detectable refractive index change."

 

Thanks for reading, and seeking to see by your own light this explanation of expansion and growth of Dark Matter and Energy in a expanding Universe which filling perceptual vacuum of space with a fresh set of data points in processing, as the best possible explanation of cosmic expansion in terms of Light, Dark Matter and Energy = 'Grey Matter' which is so much life being made possible by the interplay of the nuclear material of the Phylogenetic tree burning to bring the light while explaining how the grow the Universe at the variable speed of -1 which is not constant see graphic and apply this logic to the fluctuations inherent in the construct presented (albeit, minus the above Dark Material variable) in Darkness on the Edge of the Universe

By BRIAN GREENE Published: January 15, 2011) www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/opinion/16greene.html?scp=6&am...

 

Some disagree and say Dark Matter is immaterial to science. I respectful disagree, and attempt to provide additional information in order to assist with understanding how my view came to be on this subject and if there is not some common ground as more data is generated in understanding how perspective can never stay the same as per the logic contained in a draconian application of the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorentz_transformation to a unwillingness to see the shadow of comprehension of the 'Big Picture' as being painted by reflections on the flip side of the micro being organic in Nature and, therefore the Universe.

 

That the same transformation that powers the light switch where I might find enough between my ears to communicate the understanding that the bugs have been digesting themselves into energy per this chart; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:080998_Universe_Content_240.jpg

If in the words of Bronowski* (a quote which fell from heaven/ and the keyboard of Peter on linked on Theoretical Physics Group discussion)

That; “All science is the search for unity in hidden likenesses.”

 

- as being understood to be what makes the world go round in the compost heap, vineyard, inn, industry in any constellation whichever side or corner of the Universe from which the Light expands our understanding by means of the power of deep thought in pondering dark matter producing 'grey matter' which is consciousness that understands the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmological_principle which is in essence in the words of Andrew Liddle puts it, "the cosmological principle [means that] the universe looks the same whoever and wherever you are." Hence the grass is not 'greener' or made of substantively something else in another galaxy, therefore Dark Matter, and Energy 'is what it is' the immutable atomic information of 'microorganisms' cycling at relative light speed as so many 'cups of tea', or conceptual coffee, 'primordial soup' to perhaps nuts -- or maybe, just maybe, the 'hidden likeness' is before us in the form of Microorganisms nuclear core that manufacture the chemical 'blocks' the comprise the fabric of Space and Time in the macro as 'made so' by Matter which is the two side of the coin of light and life.

 

Sounds so familiar, and simple to me; then again being from Missouri, nothing is obvious until you lead and or 'show me' with quantum formal paradoxical inventors logic -- what is so dark materially obvious that has been glaring me in the face that; 'if it were a snake it would have bit me.'

  

Notes -

Dark Matter as Dynamic; phys.org/news/2012-11-dark-energy-static-dynamic.html Microwave data derived from; www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130114092551.htmwith the light, sound, and, energy of health wisdom, that beget enlightenment.

  

(Rev. for clarity and minor content May 9, 2018)

'long answer short' -- with a string of comments to complete the notion following that are in want of integration into the body of this text, and or a editor/publisher -- but not having any expectations other than to be found to be more or less correct on the basic logic here in the long run.

 

Thanks to Dream 11 aka John Blunt for the Artwork 'interpretation' contribution on and to my photo taken on the Black Rock Desert at a Arts Festival we have attended together over the years, this one taken several years ago. Also for his reading my work and giving me feedback in writing which provoked some insight for which I thank and credit him.

  

www.britishscienceassociation.org/blog/the-ascent-of-jaco...

That precise moment when a child first realizes that it's her birthday party.

 

7 September 2019.

 

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cruising over Thailand at 35,000ft. To be precise over the town called Pathum Thani along the Chao Phraya river not far from the capital Bangkok enroute from Kunming to sg.

The flight path takes us thru several countries. Namely Laos, Thailand, along the east coast of peninsula Malaysia and finally pulau tekong before touching down at changi airport (home sweet home).

It's amazing how this info is available to us by means of GPS technology. Without which we would have absolutely no idea where the hack is the place below us especially at night. At the very best we could only make a wild guess.

Just a click from the 6s and your exact geographical location is instantly registered in the photo any time any where and anyhow..... :)

@Thailand 35,000ft

Street scene, taken in the Chandni Chowk area of Old Delhi, precise location unknown. Taken with a Sony A7 111 and 24-105mm lens at 24mm at 12pm on 15th March 2025. ISO 200, f/8, 1/100s.

"Joy is the echo of God's guidance."

~ Author Unknown

memories, memories, memories...

Thanks for stopping by

and God Bless,

hugs, Chris

 

A little bit of a change up from my usual. I spent the weekend in Munich to sample the famous German Christmas markets. I took this in Marienplatz, which is the U-Bahn station right in the centre of the city, where the largest of the Munich markets is located. It's a beautifully designed station. Clean and precise stylings. Bright bold colours. Photo potential everywhere!

One look at my photostream and I think it's easy to tell that I'm completely hopeless at the "decisive moment" type images so it's only fitting that I stumbled across this one completely by accident. I was actually shooting just the wall in my usual slow deliberate style, when, just as I tripped the shutter, this child ran into the scene and then out again. A happy accident! I tend to try to avoid having people in my images but lately I'm quite liking the ones with people in them.

 

View this one large on black.

 

Google+ | 500px | Twitter

Note: this photo was taken on the northwest corner of Eighth Ave and 31st Street

 

The photo speaks for itself ...

 

Note: I chose this as my "photo of the day" for Feb 3, 2014.

 

***************

 

This set of photos is based on a very simple concept: walk every block of Manhattan with a camera, and see what happens. To avoid missing anything, walk both sides of the street.

 

That's all there is to it …

 

Of course, if you wanted to be more ambitious, you could also walk the streets of Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx. But that's more than I'm willing to commit to at this point, and I'll leave the remaining boroughs of New York City to other, more adventurous photographers.

 

Oh, actually, there's one more small detail: leave the photos alone for a month -- unedited, untouched, and unviewed. By the time I actually focus on the first of these "every-block" photos, I will have taken more than 8,000 images on the nearby streets of the Upper West Side -- plus another several thousand in Rome, Coney Island, and the various spots in NYC where I traditionally take photos. So I don't expect to be emotionally attached to any of the "every-block" photos, and hope that I'll be able to make an objective selection of the ones worth looking at.

 

As for the criteria that I've used to select the small subset of every-block photos that get uploaded to Flickr: there are three. First, I'll upload any photo that I think is "great," and where I hope the reaction of my Flickr-friends will be, "I have no idea when or where that photo was taken, but it's really a terrific picture!"

 

A second criterion has to do with place, and the third involves time. I'm hoping that I'll take some photos that clearly say, "This is New York!" to anyone who looks at it. Obviously, certain landscape icons like the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty would satisfy that criterion; but I'm hoping that I'll find other, more unexpected examples. I hope that I'll be able to take some shots that will make a "local" viewer say, "Well, even if that's not recognizable to someone from another part of the country, or another part of the world, I know that that's New York!" And there might be some photos where a "non-local" viewer might say, "I had no idea that there was anyplace in New York City that was so interesting/beautiful/ugly/spectacular."

 

As for the sense of time: I remember wandering around my neighborhood in 2005, photographing various shops, stores, restaurants, and business establishments -- and then casually looking at the photos about five years later, and being stunned by how much had changed. Little by little, store by store, day by day, things change … and when you've been around as long as I have, it's even more amazing to go back and look at the photos you took thirty or forty years ago, and ask yourself, "Was it really like that back then? Seriously, did people really wear bell-bottom jeans?"

 

So, with the expectation that I'll be looking at these every-block photos five or ten years from now (and maybe you will be, too), I'm going to be doing my best to capture scenes that convey the sense that they were taken in the year 2013 … or at least sometime in the decade of the 2010's (I have no idea what we're calling this decade yet). Or maybe they'll just say to us, "This is what it was like a dozen years after 9-11".

 

Movie posters are a trivial example of such a time-specific image; I've already taken a bunch, and I don't know if I'll ultimately decide that they're worth uploading. Women's fashion/styles are another obvious example of a time-specific phenomenon; and even though I'm definitely not a fashion expert, I suspected that I'll be able to look at some images ten years from now and mutter to myself, "Did we really wear shirts like that? Did women really wear those weird skirts that are short in the front, and long in the back? Did everyone in New York have a tattoo?"

 

Another example: I'm fascinated by the interactions that people have with their cellphones out on the street. It seems that everyone has one, which certainly wasn't true a decade ago; and it seems that everyone walks down the street with their eyes and their entire conscious attention riveted on this little box-like gadget, utterly oblivious about anything else that might be going on (among other things, that makes it very easy for me to photograph them without their even noticing, particularly if they've also got earphones so they can listen to music or carry on a phone conversation). But I can't help wondering whether this kind of social behavior will seem bizarre a decade from now … especially if our cellphones have become so miniaturized that they're incorporated into the glasses we wear, or implanted directly into our eyeballs.

 

Oh, one last thing: I've created a customized Google Map to show the precise details of each day's photo-walk. I'll be updating it each day, and the most recent part of my every-block journey will be marked in red, to differentiate it from all of the older segments of the journey, which will be shown in blue. You can see the map, and peek at it each day to see where I've been, by clicking on this link

 

URL link to Ed's every-block progress through Manhattan

 

If you have any suggestions about places that I should definitely visit to get some good photos, or if you'd like me to photograph you in your little corner of New York City, please let me know. You can send me a Flickr-mail message, or you can email me directly at ed-at-yourdon-dot-com

 

Stay tuned as the photo-walk continues, block by block ...

First rays of Spring

 

Star shaped aperture and snow flakes are well matched.

 

Need to set a precise angle to get this flare.

I don't know the precise location, but Wicker Street, the Roman road from Manchester to Carlisle, crossed the river about here, guarded by the fort 350 m away at Low Borrowbridge. I understand the main crossing was nearer the fort, but it seems likely the builders of the late Georgian (1824), now Grade II Listed bridge would have taken advantage of the same natural features as the Romans, so there could have been a secondary Roman crossing at the exact same spot.

 

Following the 2016 extensions of the National Park boundaries, this photo was taken from within the Yorkshire Dales National Park with the background, the steep slope of Little Coum rising to Greyrigg Forest (494 m), in the Lake District National Park. The valley between, the 'Lune Gap', is scenic but formally outside the Parks, as it's the route of the M6 motorway (not quite visible) and the West Coast main railway line.

 

I'm not sure whether it was by the gentleman caught in this image, but when I returned to the road I was engaged in detailed conversation about local wildlife and landmarks – I think I was being assessed as a potential poacher.

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

  

Some background:

Due to the restrictions of the Versailles treaties, the Reichswehr was already dealing with the increasing mobilization and motorization of the army after the end of the First World War. The realization that the speed of the troop units required appropriate equipment was available early on. However, the Reichswehr suffered from financial constraints and during the Weimar Republic the industry only had limited capacity for series production of larger, armored vehicles.

 

Nevertheless, at that time the Sd.Kfz. 3 (unarmored half-track transport vehicle/1927), the ARW (eight-wheel car/1928) and the ZRW (ten-wheel car/1928) provided fundamental experience. The findings of these tests and the troop testing with the Sd.Kfz. 3 enabled a more precise specification of the new vehicles to be developed. The "heavy" armored cars were primarily intended for the reconnaissance units of the new armored forces.

 

The incipient rearmament could only start with a "cheap" solution, though. A three-part armored structure for the chassis of commercially available off-road trucks was developed by the Army Weapons Office, Dept. WaTest 6, in cooperation with the company Deutsche Eisenwerke AG. The typical truck chassis featured front-wheel steering and a driven bogie at the rear (4x6 layout). In June 1929, the companies Magirus, Daimler-Benz and Büssing-NAG were commissioned to develop the desired armored car from it. If you consider that this truck class was developed for a payload of 1.5t, you can already conclude from this that the vehicles, which are now equipped with a significantly heavy armored structure, had little off-road mobility. Even if the appearance of the vehicles supplied by the different manufacturers was similar, there were external distinguishing features by which the manufacturer could be identified. The vehicles were tested in the Reichswehr from 1932 and introduced later.

 

One of the four crew members (driver, commander, gunner, radio-operator) was used as a reverse driver: with the narrow streets of the time and a turning circle of between 13 and 16m, this function was essential for a truck-sized heavy reconnaissance vehicle. The chassis had the excellent ladder-type configuration, able to withstand the stress of rough rides at high speed. The scout car was 5570 mm long, 1820 mm wide, 2250 mm high and weighed 5.35, 5.7 or 6 tons, depending on the manufacturer. The hull was made of welded steel armor, 5 to 14.5 mm (0.2-0.57 in) thick depending on the angle (bottom to front) with well-sloped plates. The armament consisted of a 2 cm KwK 30 with 200 rounds and a MG 13 with 1300 rounds in a manually operated turret. The fuel supply was 90, 105 or 110 liters, but with a consumption of about 35 or 40 liters per 100 km, this resulted in a completely inadequate range for a scout car.

 

Having no true alternatives at hand, the armored 4x6 car was accepted and became known as the Sd.Kfz. 231 (6-wheel), and it was subsequently developed into two more vehicles. Up until 1937, 123 vehicles were built as Sd.Kfz. 231 reconnaissance cars and Sd.Kfz. 232 radio trucks. A further 28 were manufactured as Sd.Kfz. 263 (Panzerfunkwagen) command vehicles.

As early as 1932, after testing the pilot series, it was clear that the interim solution of "cheap" 6-wheel vehicles would not meet the future requirements of the armored divisions now planned. It was planned that from 1935/36 at least 18 vehicles of a new type that would meet the requirements for off-road mobility and high road speeds should be produced annually. Büssing-NAG had obviously made a good impression with the ARW and was now commissioned to make the revised vehicle ready for series production, which would become the SdKfz. 231 (8-Rad). The overall concept was completed between 1934 and 1935 and already showed all the features of the future type: all 8 wheels driven and steered, the same speed forwards and backwards, ability to change direction in less than 10 seconds, and a turning circle of "only" 10.5m. The vehicle layout was changed, too: the engine bay was relocated to the rear, the crew compartment was placed at the front end. This improved weight distribution, handling, and the field of view for the main forward driver.

The purpose of the new vehicles was identical to that of the earlier heavy 6-wheel vehicles, they were used on the same sites and so the same ordnance inventory designation was adopted, despite the vehicle’s many modifications. The so-called Sd.Kfz. 231 (8-Rad) was armed, corresponding to its 6-Rad counterpart, with a 2cm KwK 30 and the MG 13 (later MG 34) in a rotating turret. Likewise, the Sd.Kfz. 232 (8-Rad) carried a large, curved bow antenna, and there was a Sd.Kfz. 263 (8-Rad) command vehicle, too.

 

Nevertheless, the Army Weapons Office demanded a short-term solution for a vehicle based on the 4x6 chassis that offered better off-road performance and armament, namely a 37 mm anti-tank gun, with at least comparable range and armor protection. This interim vehicle was supposed to be ready for service in early 1934. Magirus accepted the challenge and proposed the Sd.Kfz. 241, a 4x8 vehicle. It retained the old overall 6-Rad layout with the front engine under a long bonnet, but it had a fourth steered axle added to lower ground pressure and improve the vehicle’s trench bridging capabilities. The powered two rear axles retained the 6-Rad’s twin wheels, so that the vehicle stood on a total of twelve tires with a relatively large footprint. The armored hull was very similar to the Sd.Kfz. 231 6-Rad, but carried a new, bigger turret with a 3.7 cm KwK 30 L/45 gun and an axis-parallel 7.92 mm MG 34 light machine gun.

 

The box-shaped turret exploited the hull’s width to the maximum and had a maximum armor of 15 mm, no base and the seat of the commander was attached to the tower wall. The commander sat elevated under a raised cupola in the rear section of the turret, just behind the main gun. He had five viewing slits protected by glass blocks and steel slides for all-round visibility. The gunner/loader, standing to the left of the main gun, had to constantly follow the movement of the turret, which was done by hand. In order to support the gunner when slewing the turret, the commander had an additional handle on the right side. The two crew members also had a turret position indicator.

The cannon was fired electrically via a trigger, the machine gun was operated mechanically with a pedal. To aim and view the outside, the gunner had a gun sight to the left of the gun with an opening in the gun mantlet. Standard access to the vehicle was through low double-doors in the vehicle’ flank, but side exit openings in the turret with two flaps each were also frequently used to board it. Another entry was through the commander cupola’s lid.

With all this extra hardware, the Sd.Kfz. 241’s overall weight rose considerably from the late Sd.Kfz. 231 (6-Rad) nearly 6 tons to 7.5 tons. As a consequence, the chassis had to be reinforced and a more powerful engine was used, a 6-cylinder Maybach HL 42 TRKM w carburetor gasoline engine with 4170 cc capacity and 100 hp (74 kW) output at 3000 rpm.

 

As expected, the Sd.Kfz. 241 was not a success. Even though the first vehicles were delivered in time in mid-1934, its operational value was rather limited. Off-road capability was, due to the extra weight, the raised center of gravity and the lack of all-wheel drive, just as bad as the 6-Rad vehicles, and the more powerful engine’s higher fuel consumption allowed neither higher range, despite bigger fuel tanks, nor a better street performance. The only real progress was the new 3.7 cm KwK 30’s firepower, which was appreciated by the crews, even though the weapon was only effective against armored targets at close range. At 100 m, 64 mm of vertical armor could be penetrated, but at 500 m this already dropped to 31 mm, any angle in the armor weakened its hitting power even further. The weapon’s maximum range was 5.000m, though, and with HE rounds the Sd.Kfz. 241 could provide indirect fire support. Another factor that limited the vehicle’s effectiveness was that the gun had to be operated by a single crew member who had to load and aim at the same time – there was simply not enough space for a separate loader who would also have increased the gun’s rate of fire from six to maybe twelve rounds per minute. The vehicle’s armor was also inadequate and only gave protection against light firearms, but not against machine guns or heavier weapons. On the other side, the cupola on top of the turret offered the commander in his elevated position a very good all-round field of view, even when under full protection – but this progressive detail was not adopted for the following armored reconnaissance vehicles and remained exclusive to German battle tanks.

 

Only a total of fifty-five Sd.Kfz. 241s were completed by Magirus in Cologne until 1936, when production of the Sd.Kfz. 231 (8-Rad) vehicle family started and soon replaced the Sd.Kfz. 241, which was primarily operated at the Eastern Front in Poland and Czechoslovakia. By 1940, no Sd.Kfz. 241 was left in any frontline army unit, but a few survivors were grouped together and handed over to police units. Their main gun was either completely deleted or sometimes replaced with a second machine gun, and they were used for urban patrols and riot control duties. However, by 1942, no Sd.Kfz. 241 was left over.

  

Specifications:

Crew: Four (commander, gunner, driver, radio operator/rear driver)

Weight: 7.5 tons (11.450 lb)

Length: 5,85 metres (19 ft 2 in)

Width: 2,20 metres (7 ft 2 ½ in)

Height: 2,78 metres (9 ft 1 in)

Ground clearance: 28.5 cm (10 in)

Suspension: Torsion bar and leaf springs

Fuel capacity: 150 litres (33 imp gal; 40 US gal)

 

Armor:

8–15 mm (0.31 – 0.6 in)

 

Performance:

Maximum road speed: 70 km/h (43.5 mph)

52 km/h (32.3 mph) backwards

Operational range: 250 km (155 miles)

Power/weight: 13 PS/ton

 

Engine:

Maybach HL42 TRKM water-cooled straight 6-cylinder petrol engine with 100 hp (74 kW),

driving the rear pair of axles

 

Transmission:

Maybach gearbox with 5-speed forward and 4-speed reverse

 

Armament:

1× 37 mm KwK 30 L/45 cannon with 70 rounds

1× 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun mounted co-axially with 1.300 rounds

  

The kit and its assembly:

This fictional armored car was inspired by a leftover rear axles from an Italeri Sd.Kfz. 231 (6-Rad) model that I converted into a fictional half-track variant some time ago. I wondered if the set could be transplanted under an 8-Rad chassis, to create a kind of missing link to the 8x8 successors of the Sd.Kfz. 231 (6-Rad) with a total of twelve tires on four axles.

 

The basis became a First to Fight 1:72 Sd.Kfz. 231 (8-Rad) kit – a rather simple and robust affair, apparently primarily intended for tabletop purposes. But the overall impression is good, and it would be modified, anyway, even though the plastic turned out to be rather soft/waxy and the parts’ sprue attachment points a bit wacky.

 

The hull was “turned around” to drive backwards, so that its rear engine ended up in the front. I eventually only used the rear twin wheels from the Sd.Kfz. 231 (6-Rad), but not its single axles and laminated springs. Instead, I first cut the OOB mudguards in two halves, removed their side skirts and glued them onto the lower hull in reversed order, so that the exhausts and their muffler boxes would end up at the rear of the front fenders. With these in place I checked the axles’ position from the OOB ladder chassis, which is a single, integral part, and found that the rear axles’ position had to be moved by 2mm backwards. Cutting the original piece and re-arranging it was easier to scratch a new rear suspension, and the rocker bars had to be shortened to accept the wider twin wheels.

 

The original small turret with the 20 mm autocannon was deleted and replaced with core elements from a Panzer III turret, left over from previous conversion projects. Wider than any original turret of the Sd.Kfz. 231/232 family, it had to be narrowed by roughly 5mm – I had to cut a respective plug from the turret’s and the mantlet’s middle section, the deformed hatch was covered under a Panzer III commander cupola. To mate the re-arranged turret with the OOB adapter plate to mount it onto the hull, and to add overall stability to the construction, I filled the interior with 2C putty.

The typical storage bin at the turret’s rear was omitted, though, it would have made it too large for the compact truck chassis. The shape was a perfect stylistic match, even though, with the longer gun barrel, the vehicle reminds a lot of the Soviet BA-10 heavy armored car?

 

Most small details like the bumpers and the headlights were taken OOB, I added a whip antenna base at the rear and mounted two spare wheels at the back, one of them covered with a tarpaulin (made from paper tissue drenched with white glue, this was also used to create the gun mantlet seals).

  

Painting and markings:

Typical for German vehicles from the early WWII stages the Sd.Kfz. 241 was painted Panzergrau (RAL 7021; I used Humbrol 67, which is authentic, but mixed it with some 125 to create a slightly lighter shade of grey) overall - quite dull, but realistic. To make the vehicle look more interesting, though, I added authentic contemporary camouflage in the form of low-contrast blotches with RAL 8017, a very dark reddish brown, mixed from Humbrol 160 and some 98. Better, but IMHO still not enough.

 

After the model received a washing with highly thinned red-brown acrylic artist paint I applied the few decals and gave the parts an overall dry-brushing treatment with grey and dark earth. Everything was sealed with matt acrylic varnish. For even more “excitement”, I decided to add a coat of snow.

For the simulated “frosting” I used white tile grout – which has the benefits of being water-soluble, quite sturdy to touch and the material does not yellow over time like gypsum.

 

First, the wheels, the chassis and the inside of the wheel arches received a separate treatment with relatively dryly mixed tile grout, simulating snow and dirt clusters. Once thoroughly dried, the wheels were mounted. Then the model was sprayed with low surface tension water and loose tile grout was drizzled over hull and turret, creating a flaky coat of fake snow. Once dry again, everything received another coat of matt acrylic varnish to protect and fixate everything further.

  

A relatively quick build, done in a few days. The First to Fight kit is very simple and went together well, but I’d use something else the next time due to the odd material it was molded with. The outcome of an 4x8 scout car looks quite plausible, though, like the missing link between the Sd.Kfz. 231 and 232 – the unintended similarity with the Soviet BA-10 heavy armored car was a bit surprising, though. And the snow on the model eventually makes it look a bit more interesting, the stunt was worth the effort.

Time SignaturesThe method behind the Music and notes fly to an ideal world...Notes Written on the Staff...Ledger Lines...Note Durations...Time Signatures and no-Photoshop in this picture just F22.(Bold denotes a stressed beat):

one two three (as in a waltz

Example of an irrational 4

3 time signature: here there are four (4) third notes (3) per measure. A "third note" would be one third of a whole note, and thus is a half-note triplet. The second measure of 4

2 presents the same notes, so the 4

3 time signature serves to indicate the precise speed relationship between the notes in the two measures.

These are time signatures, used for so-called irrational bar lengths,[16] that have a denominator that is not a power of two (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, etc.) (or, mathematically speaking, is not a dyadic rational). These are based on beats expressed in terms of fractions of full beats in the prevailing tempo—for example 3

10 or 5

24.[16] For example, where 4

4 implies a bar construction of four quarter-parts of a whole note (i.e., four quarter notes), 4

3 implies a bar construction of four third-parts of it. These signatures are only of utility when juxtaposed with other signatures with varying denominators; a piece written entirely in 4

3, say, could be more legibly written out in 4

4.

  

{

\time 4/2

c''2 d'' e'' f'' |

c''^\markup {

\note #"1." #1

=

\note #"1" #1

} d'' e'' f''

}

The same example written using metric modulation instead of irrational time signatures. Three half notes in the first measure (making up a dotted whole note) are equal in duration to two half notes in the second (making up a whole note).

 

{

\time 4/2

c''2 d'' e'' f'' |

\time 12/4

c''2. d'' e'' f''

}

The same example written using a change in time signature.

Metric modulation is "a somewhat distant analogy".[16] It is arguable whether the use of these signatures makes metric relationships clearer or more obscure to the musician; it is always possible to write a passage using non-irrational signatures by specifying a relationship between some note length in the previous bar and some other in the succeeding one. Sometimes, successive metric relationships between bars are so convoluted that the pure use of irrational signatures would quickly render the notation extremely hard to penetrate. Good examples, written entirely in conventional signatures with the aid of between-bar specified metric relationships, occur a number of times in John Adams' opera Nixon in China (1987), where the sole use of irrational signatures would quickly produce massive numerators and denominators.[citation needed]

Historically, this device has been prefigured wherever composers wrote tuplets. For example, a 2

4 bar of 3 triplet crotchets could arguably be written as a bar of 3

6. Henry Cowell's piano piece Fabric (1920) employs separate divisions of the bar (anything from 1 to 9) for the three contrapuntal parts, using a scheme of shaped note heads to visually clarify the differences, but the pioneering of these signatures is largely due to Brian Ferneyhough, who says that he "find[s] that such 'irrational' measures serve as a useful buffer between local changes of event density and actual changes of base tempo.[16] Thomas Adès has also used them extensively—for example in Traced Overhead (1996), the second movement of which contains, among more conventional meters, bars in such signatures as 2

6, 9

14 and 5

24.

A gradual process of diffusion into less rarefied musical circles seems underway.[citation needed] For example, John Pickard's Eden, commissioned for the 2005 finals of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain contains bars of 3

10 and 7

12.[17]

Notationally, rather than using Cowell's elaborate series of notehead shapes, the same convention has been invoked as when normal tuplets are written; for example, one beat in 4

5 is written as a normal quarter note, four quarter notes complete the bar, but the whole bar lasts only 4⁄5 of a reference whole note, and a beat 1⁄5 of one (or 4⁄5 of a normal quarter note). This is notated in exactly the same way that one would write if one were writing the first four quarter notes of five quintuplet quarter notes.

This article uses irrational in the music theory sense, not the mathematical sense, where an irrational number is one that cannot be written as a ratio of whole numbers. However, at least one composition—Conlon Nancarrow's Studies for Player Piano—uses a time signature that is irrational in the mathematical sense. The piece contains a canon with a part augmented in the ratio √42:1 (approximately 6.48:1).

Now that you have an idea of basic rhythmic values and notation used in music, you need to learn a little about time signatures.A time signature tells you how the music is to be counted. The time signature is written at the beginning of the staff after the clef and key signature. Time signatures consist of two numbers written like a fraction.The top number of the time signature tells you how many beats to count. This could be any number. Most often the number of beats will fall between 2 and 12.The bottom number tells you what kind of note to count. That is, whether to count the beats as quarter notes, eighth notes, or sixteenth notes. So the only numbers you will see as the bottom number (the denominator) will correspond to note values:

1 = whole note (you’ll never see this)

2 = half note

4 = quarter note

8 = eighth note

16 = sixteenth note

You could continue on with 32, 64, but you will hopefully never encounter them! After a while it gets a bit unwieldy. The most common bottom numbers are 4, 8 and 16.Let me give you some examples so you better understand the concept...

4/4 Time Signature Example:

A time signature of 4/4 means count 4 (top number) quarter notes (bottom number) to each bar. So the pulse, or beat, is counted 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on.That means all the notes in each bar must add up to 4 quarter notes. Any combination of rhythms can be used as long as they add up to 4 quarter notes. For instance, a bar could contain 1 half note, 1 quarter note rest and 2 eighth notes. (See diagram.) Summed together they add to 4 quarter notes total. You can never have more than or less than the sum total of the number of beats in the time signature.

3/4 Time Signature Example:

A time signature of 3/4 means count 3 quarter notes to each bar. This is an often-used time signature giving you a waltz feel. 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3…

Again, the rhythms in each bar can be anything as long as they add to 3 quarter notes. This is where time signatures start to seem illogical and students often get confused. How can 3 quarter notes add up to a whole measure? You have to remember that all of our rhythmic terminology is based on 4/4 time since it is the most common. You’ll just have to accept the fact that music has some weird conventions just as any language. Think of all the illogical ways similarly spelled English words are pronounced.

6/8 Time Signature Example:

A time signature of 6/8 means count 6 eighth notes to each bar. This is also a very often-used time signature. You would count the beat: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and so on…

Now you will wonder why can’t you just reduce 6/8 to 3/4? After all, they add up to the same amount. One reason you might pick one time signature versus the other is how the music is organized. 6/8 is grouped into 2 groups of 3 eighth notes. 3/4 time would be grouped into 3 groups of 2 eighth notes. Depending on the structure of the bassline or song, it may make sense to group it one way instead of the other. So 6/8 feels more like two, while 3/4 feels more like three.

Time Signature Abbreviations

A few other time signatures you may see use special abbreviations instead of numbers. 4/4 is called common time since it is so common. 4/4 time is often marked with a C instead of 4/4. It means the same thing.

[Completely unimportant historical note: the C is not actually short for the word common. It is actually an incomplete circle from an older form of notation called mensural notation.]

Another common abbreviation is for cut time meaning 2/2 time. Cut time is usually written as a C with a slash through it.

Time Signature Summary

This was just a brief guide to what time signatures mean and their notation in written music. In later lessons I will explain meter and time signatures in much more detail.

The main thing to remember is a time signature tells you: How many of what kind.

That’s it. A time signature is the number of beats and the type of note the beat is.

www.studybass.com/lessons/reading-music/time-signatures/

The time signature (also known as meter signature,[1] metre signature,[2] or measure signature[3]) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are to be contained in each bar and which note value is to be given one beat. In a musical score, the time signature appears at the beginning of the piece, as a time symbol or stacked numerals, such as Commontime inline.png or 3

4 (read common time and three-four time, respectively), immediately following the key signature or immediately following the clef symbol if the key signature is empty. A mid-score time signature, usually immediately following a barline, indicates a change of meter.

There are various types of time signatures, depending on whether the music follows simple rhythms or involves unusual shifting tempos, including: simple (such as 3

4 or 4

4), compound (e.g., 9

8 or 12

8), complex (e.g., 5

4 or 7

8), mixed (e.g., 5

8 & 3

8 or 6

8 & 3

4), additive (e.g., 3+2+3

8), fractional (e.g., 2½

4), and irrational meters (e.g., 3

10 or 5

24).

Simple time signatures[edit]

Basic time signatures: 4

4, also known as common time (Commontime inline.png); 2

2, alla breve, also known as cut time or cut-common time (cut time); plus 2

4; 3

4; and 6

8

Simple time signatures consist of two numerals, one stacked above the other:

The lower numeral indicates the note value that represents one beat (the beat unit).

The upper numeral indicates how many such beats there are grouped together in a bar.

For instance, 2

4 means two quarter-note (crotchet) beats per bar—3

8 means three eighth-note (quaver) beats per bar.

The most common simple time signatures are 2

4, 3

4, and 4

4.

Notational variations in simple time[edit]

The symbol Commontime inline.png is sometimes used for 4

4 time, also called common time or imperfect time. The symbol is derived from a broken circle used in music notation from the 14th through 16th centuries, where a full circle represented what today would be written in 3

2 or 3

4 time, and was called tempus perfectum (perfect time).[4] The symbol cut time is also a carry-over from the notational practice of late-Medieval and Renaissance music, where it signified tempus imperfectum diminutum (diminished imperfect time)—more precisely, a doubling of the speed, or proportio dupla, in duple meter.[5] In modern notation, it is used in place of 2

2 and is called alla breve or, colloquially, cut time or cut common time.

Compound time signatures[edit]

Main article: Compound meter (music)

In compound meter, subdivisions (which are what the upper number represents in these meters) of the main beat are in three equal parts, so that a dotted note (half again longer than a regular note) becomes the beat unit. Compound time signatures are named as if they were simple time signatures, in which the one-third part of the beat unit is the beat, so the top number is commonly 6, 9 or 12 (multiples of 3). The lower number is most commonly an 8 (an eighth-note): as in 9

8 or 12

8.

An example

3

4 is a simple signature that represents three quarter notes. It has a basic feel of (Bold denotes a stressed beat):

one two three (as in a waltz)

Each quarter note might comprise two eighth-notes (quavers) giving a total of six such notes, but it still retains that three-in-a-bar feel:

one and two and three and

6

8: Theoretically, this can be thought of as the same as the six-quaver form of 3

4 above with the only difference being that the eighth note is selected as the one-beat unit. But whereas the six quavers in 3

4 had been in three groups of two, 6

8 is practically understood to mean that they are in two groups of three, with a two-in-a-bar feel (Bold denotes a stressed beat):

 

one and a, two and a

or

 

one two three, four five six

Beat and time[edit]

Time signatures indicating two beats per bar (whether it is simple or compound) are called duple time; those with three beats to the bar are triple time. To the ear, a bar may seem like one singular beat. For example, a fast waltz, notated in 3

4 time, may be described as being one in a bar. Terms such as quadruple (4), quintuple (5), and so on are also occasionally used.

 

Actual beat divisions[edit]

As mentioned above, though the score indicates a 3

4 time, the actual beat division can be the whole bar, particularly at faster tempos. Correspondingly, at slow tempos the beat indicated by the time signature could in actual performance be divided into smaller units.

 

Interchangeability, rewriting meters[edit]

 

3

4 equals 3

8 time at a different tempo About this sound Play (help·info)

On a formal mathematical level the time signatures of, e.g., 3

4 and 3

8 are interchangeable. In a sense, all simple triple time signatures, such as 3

8, 3

4, 3

2, etc.—and all compound duple times, such as 6

8, 6

16 and so on, are equivalent. A piece in 3

4 can be easily rewritten in 3

8, simply by halving the length of the notes. Other time signature rewritings are possible: most commonly a simple time signature with triplets translates into a compound meter.

  

12

8 equals 4

4 time at a different tempo and requires the use of tuplets About this sound Play (help·info)

Though formally interchangeable, for a composer or performing musician, different time signatures often have different connotations. First, a smaller note value in the beat unit implies a more complex notation, which can affect ease of performance. Second, beaming affects the choice of actual beat divisions. It is, for example, more natural to use the quarter note/crotchet as a beat unit in 6

4 or 2

2 than the eight/quaver in 6

8 or 2

4.[citation needed] Third, time signatures are traditionally associated with different music styles—it might seem strange to notate a rock tune in 4

8 or 4

2.

 

Stress and meter[edit]

For all meters, the first beat (the downbeat, ignoring any anacrusis) is usually stressed (though not always, for example in reggae where the offbeats are stressed); in time signatures with four groups in the bar (such as 4

4 and 12

8), the third beat is often also stressed, though to a lesser degree. This gives a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed beats, though notes on stressed beats are not necessarily louder or more important.

Complex time signatures[edit]

 

19

16 Time Drum Beat

MENU0:00

Problems playing this file? See media help.

See also: List of musical works in unusual time signatures, Quintuple meter, and Septuple meter

Signatures that do not fit the usual duple or triple categories are called complex, asymmetric, irregular, unusual, or odd—though these are broad terms, and usually a more specific description is appropriate.[citation needed] The term odd meter, however, sometimes describes time signatures in which the upper number is simply odd rather than even, including 3

4 and 9

8.[8] The irregular meters (not fitting duple or triple categories) are common in some non-Western music, but rarely appeared in formal written Western music until the 19th century. The first deliberate quintuple meter pieces were apparently published in Spain between 1516 and 1520,[8] though other authorities reckon that the Delphic Hymns to Apollo (one by Athenaeus is entirely in quintuple meter, the other by Limenius predominantly so), carved on the exterior walls of the Athenian Treasury at Delphi in 128 BC, are probably earlier.[9] The third movement (Larghetto) of Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 1 (1828) is an early, but by no means the earliest, example of 5

4 time in solo piano music. Reicha's Fugue 20 from his Thirty-six Fugues, published in 1803, is also for piano and is in 5

8. The waltz-like second movement of Tchaikovsky's Pathétique Symphony, often described as a limping waltz,[10] is a notable example of 5

4 time in orchestral music. Examples from the 20th century include Holst's Mars, the Bringer of War and Neptune, the Mystic (both in 5

4) from the orchestral suite The Planets, Paul Hindemith's Fugue Secunda in G,(5

8) from Ludus Tonalis, the ending of Stravinsky's Firebird (7

4), the fugue from Heitor Villa-Lobos's Bachianas Brasileiras No. 9 (11

8) and the themes for the Mission Impossible television series by Lalo Schifrin (in 5

4) and Jerry Goldsmith's theme for Room 222 (in 7

4).

 

In the Western popular music tradition, unusual time signatures occur as well, with progressive rock in particular making frequent use of them. The use of shifting meters in The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" (1967) and the use of quintuple meter in their "Within You, Without You" (1967) are well-known examples,[11] as is Radiohead's "Paranoid Android" (includes 7

8).[12]

 

Paul Desmond's jazz composition Take Five, in 5

4 time, was one of a number of irregular-meter compositions that The Dave Brubeck Quartet played. They played other compositions in 11

4 (Eleven Four), 7

4 (Unsquare Dance)—and 9

8 (Blue Rondo à la Turk), expressed as 2+2+2+3

8. This last is an example of a work in a signature that, despite appearing merely compound triple, is actually more complex.

 

However, such time signatures are only unusual in most Western music. Traditional music of the Balkans uses such meters extensively. Bulgarian dances, for example, include forms with 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 22, 25 and other numbers of beats per measure. These rhythms are notated as additive rhythms based on simple units, usually 2, 3 and 4 beats, though the notation fails to describe the metric "time bending" taking place, or compound meters. For example, the Bulgarian Sedi Donka consists of 25 beats divided 7+7+11, where 7 is subdivided 3+2+2 and 11 is subdivided 2+2+3+2+2 or 4+3+4.[citation needed] See Variants below..

While time signatures usually express a regular pattern of beat stresses continuing through a piece (or at least a section), sometimes composers place a different time signature at the beginning of each bar, resulting in music with an extremely irregular rhythmic feel. In this case the time signatures are an aid to the performers, and not necessarily an indication of meter. The Promenade from Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition (1874) is a good example:

In such cases, a convention that some composers follow (e.g., Olivier Messiaen, in his La Nativité du Seigneur and Quatuor pour la fin du temps) is to simply omit the time signature. Charles Ives's Concord Sonata has measure bars for select passages, but the majority of the work is unbarred.

 

Some pieces have no time signature, as there is no discernible meter. This is commonly known as free time. Sometimes one is provided (usually 4

4) so that the performer finds the piece easier to read, and simply has 'free time' written as a direction. Sometimes the word FREE is written downwards on the staff to indicate the piece is in free time. Erik Satie wrote many compositions that are ostensibly in free time, but actually follow an unstated and unchanging simple time signature. Later composers used this device more effectively, writing music almost devoid of a discernibly regular pulse.

Early music usage[edit]

Mensural time signatures[edit]

In the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period in which mensural notation was used, four basic mensuration signs determined the proportion between the two main units of rhythm. There were no measure or bar lines in music of this period; these signs, the ancestors of modern time signatures, indicate the ratio of duration between different note values. The relation between the breve and the semibreve was called tempus, and the relation between the semibreve and the minim was called prolatio. The breve and the semibreve use roughly the same symbols as our modern double whole note (breve) and whole note (semibreve), but they were not limited to the same proportional values as are in use today. There are complicated rules concerning how a breve is sometimes three and sometimes two semibreves. Unlike modern notation, the duration ratios between these different values was not always 2:1; it could be either 2:1 or 3:1, and that is what, amongst other things, these mensuration signs indicated. A ratio of 3:1 was called complete, perhaps a reference to the Trinity, and a ratio of 2:1 was called incomplete.

 

A circle used as a mensuration sign indicated tempus perfectum (a circle being a symbol of completeness), while an incomplete circle, resembling a letter C, indicated tempus imperfectum. Assuming the breve is a beat, this corresponds to the modern concepts of triple meter and duple meter, respectively. In either case, a dot in the center indicated prolatio perfecta (compound meter) while the absence of such a dot indicated prolatio imperfecta (simple meter).

 

A rough equivalence of these signs to modern meters would be:

 

Mensural time signature 1 (alternative).svg corresponds to 9

8 meter;

Mensural time signature 2 (alternative).svg corresponds to 3

4 meter;

Mensural time signature 3 (alternative).svg corresponds to 6

8 meter;

Mensural time signature 4 (alternative).svg corresponds to 2

4 meter.

N.B.: in modern compound meters the beat is a dotted note value, such as a dotted quarter, because the ratios of the modern note value hierarchy are always 2:1. Dotted notes were never used in this way in the mensural period; the main beat unit was always a simple (undotted) note value.

 

Proportions[edit]

Another set of signs in mensural notation specified the metric proportions of one section to another, similar to a metric modulation. A few common signs are shown:[18]

 

Allabreve.svg tempus imperfectum diminutum, 1:2 proportion (twice as fast);

Mensural proportion 2.svg tempus perfectum diminutum, 1:2 proportion (twice as fast);

Mensural proportion 5.svg or just Mensural proportion 4.svg proportio tripla, 1:3 proportion (three times as fast, similar to triplets).

Often the ratio was expressed as two numbers, one above the other,[19] looking similar to a modern time signature, though it could have values such as 4

3, which a conventional time signature could not.

 

Some proportional signs were not used consistently from one place or century to another. In addition, certain composers delighted in creating "puzzle" compositions that were intentionally difficult to decipher.

 

In particular, when the sign Allabreve.svg was encountered, the tactus (beat) changed from the usual semibreve to the breve, a circumstance called alla breve. This term has been sustained to the present day, and though now it means the beat is a minim (half note), in contradiction to the literal meaning of the phrase, it still indicates that the beat has changed to a longer note value.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_signature

Leica M240 + 50 Lux ASPH

Kathakali (Malayalam: കഥകളി, kathakaḷi; Sanskrit: कथाकळिः, kathākaḷiḥ) is a stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion. It originated in the country's present day state of Kerala during the 17th century and has developed over the years with improved looks, refined gestures and added themes besides more ornate singing and precise drumming.

 

HISTORY

Popular belief is that kathakali is emerged from "Krishnanattam", the dance drama on the life and activities of Lord Krishna created by Sri Manavedan Raja, the Zamorin of Calicut (1585-1658 AD). Once Kottarakkara Thampuran, the Raja of Kottarakkara who was attracted by Krishnanattam requested the Zamorin for the loan of a troupe of performers. Due to the political rivalry between the two, Zamorin did not allow this. So Kottarakkara Thampuran created another art form called Ramanattam which was later transformed into Aattakatha. Krishnanaattam was written in Sanskrit, and Ramanattam was in Malayalam. By the end of 17th century, Attakatha was presented to the world with the title 'Kathakali'.

 

Kathakali also shares a lot of similarities with Krishnanattam, Koodiyattam (a classical Sanskrit drama existing in Kerala) and Ashtapadiyattam (an adaptation of 12th-century musical called Gitagovindam). It also incorporates several other elements from traditional and ritualistic art forms like Mudiyettu, Thiyyattu, Theyyam and Padayani besides a minor share of folk arts like Porattunatakam. All along, the martial art of Kalarippayattu has influenced the body language of Kathakali. The use of Malayalam, the local language (albeit as a mix of Sanskrit and Malayalam, called 'Manipravaalam'), has also helped the literature of Kathakali sound more transparent for the average audience.

 

As a part of modernising, propagating, promoting and popularizing Kathakali, the International Centre for Kathakali at New Delhi has taken up a continuing project since 1980 of producing new plays based on not only traditional and mythological stories, but also historical stories, European classics and Shakespeare's plays. Recently they produced Kathakali plays based on Shakespeare's Othello and Greek-Roman mythology of Psyche and Cupid.

 

Even though the lyrics/literature would qualify as another independent element called Sahithyam, it is considered as a component of Geetha or music, as it plays only a supplementary role to Nritham, Nrithyam and Natyam.

 

KATHAKALI PLAYS

Traditionally there are 101 classical Kathakali stories, though the commonly staged among them these days total less than one-third that number. Almost all of them were initially composed to last a whole night. Nowadays, there is increasing popularity for concise, or oftener select, versions of stories so as the performance lasts not more than three to four hours from evening. Thus, many stories find stage presentation in parts rather than totality. And the selection is based on criteria like choreographical beauty, thematic relevance/popularity or their melodramatic elements. Kathakali is a classical art form, but it can be appreciated also by novices—all contributed by the elegant looks of its character, their abstract movement and its synchronisation with the musical notes and rhythmic beats. And, in any case, the folk elements too continue to exist. For better appreciation, perhaps, it is still good to have an idea of the story being enacted.

 

The most popular stories enacted are Nalacharitham (a story from the Mahabharata), Duryodhana Vadham (focusing on the Mahabharata war after profiling the build-up to it), Kalyanasougandhikam, (the story of Bhima going to get flowers for his wife Panchali), Keechakavadham (another story of Bhima and Panchali, but this time during their stint in disguise), Kiratham (Arjuna and Lord Shiva's fight, from the Mahabharata), Karnashapatham (another story from the Mahabharata), Nizhalkuthu and Bhadrakalivijayam authored by Pannisseri Nanu Pillai. Also staged frequently include stories like Kuchelavrittam, Santanagopalam, Balivijayam, Dakshayagam, Rugminiswayamvaram, Kalakeyavadham, Kirmeeravadham, Bakavadham, Poothanamoksham, Subhadraharanam, Balivadham, Rugmangadacharitam, Ravanolbhavam, Narakasuravadham, Uttaraswayamvaram, Harishchandracharitam, Kacha-Devayani and Kamsavadham.

 

Recently, as part of attempts to further popularise the art, stories from other cultures and mythologies, such as those of Mary Magdalene from the Bible, Homer's Iliad, and William Shakespeare's King Lear and Julius Caesar besides Goethe's Faust too have been adapted into Kathakali scripts and on to its stage. Synopsis of 37 kathakali stories are available in kathakalinews.com.

 

MUSIC

The language of the songs used for Kathakali is Manipravalam. Though most of the songs are set in ragas based on the microtone-heavy Carnatic music, there is a distinct style of plain-note rendition, which is known as the Sopanam style. This typically Kerala style of rendition takes its roots from the temple songs which used to be sung (continues even now at several temples) at the time when Kathakali was born.

 

As with the acting style, Kathakali music also has singers from the northern and southern schools. The northern style has largely been groomed by Kerala Kalamandalam in the 20th century. Kalamandalam Neelakantan Nambisan, an overarching Kathakali musician of those times, was a product of the institute. His prominent disciples include Kalamandalam Unnikrishna Kurup, Kalamandalam Gangadharan, Kalamandalam P.G. Radhakrishnan, Rama Varrier, Madambi Subramanian Namboodiri, Tirur Nambissan, Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri, Kalamandalam Hyderali, Kalamandalam Haridas, Subramanian, Kalanilayam Unnikrishnan and Kalamandalam Bhavadasan. The other prominent musicians of the north feature Kottakkal Vasu Nedungadi, Kottakkal Parameswaran Namboodiri, Kottakkal P.D. Narayanan Namboodiri, Kottakkal Narayanan, Kalamandalam Anantha NarayananKalamandalam Sreekumar Palanad Divakaran, Kalanilayam Rajendran, Kolathappilli Narayanan Namboodiri, Kalamandalam Narayanan Embranthiri, Kottakkal Madhu, Kalamandalam Babu Namboodiri, Kalamandalam Harish and Kalamandalam Vinod. In the south, some of whom are equally popular in the north these days, include Pathiyur Sankarankutty. Southerner musicians of the older generation include Cherthala Thankappa Panikker, Thakazhi Kuttan Pillai, Cherthala Kuttappa Kurup, Thanneermukkam Viswambharan and Mudakkal Gopinathan.

 

PERFORMANCE

Traditionally, a Kathakali performance is usually conducted at night and ends in early morning. Nowadays it isn't difficult to see performances as short as three hours or fewer. Kathakali is usually performed in front of the huge Kalivilakku (kali meaning dance; vilakku meaning lamp) with its thick wick sunk till the neck in coconut oil. Traditionally, this lamp used to provide sole light when the plays used to be performed inside temples, palaces or abodes houses of nobles and aristocrats. Enactment of a play by actors takes place to the accompaniment of music (geetha) and instruments (vadya). The percussion instruments used are chenda, maddalam (both of which underwent revolutionary changes in their aesthetics with the contributions of Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval and Kalamandalam Appukutty Poduval) and, at times, edakka. In addition, the singers (the lead singer is called “ponnani” and his follower is called “singidi”) use chengila (gong made of bell metal, which can be struck with a wooden stick) and ilathalam (a pair of cymbals). The lead singer in some sense uses the Chengala to conduct the Vadyam and Geetha components, just as a conductor uses his wand in western classical music. A distinguishing characteristic of this art form is that the actors never speak but use hand gestures, expressions and rhythmic dancing instead of dialogue (but for a couple of rare characters).

 

ACTING

A Kathakali actor uses immense concentration, skill and physical stamina, gained from regimented training based on Kalaripayattu, the ancient martial art of Kerala, to prepare for his demanding role. The training can often last for 8–10 years, and is intensive. In Kathakali, the story is enacted purely by the movements of the hands (called mudras or hand gestures) and by facial expressions (rasas) and bodily movements. The expressions are derived from Natyashastra (the tome that deals with the science of expressions) and are classified into nine as in most Indian classical art forms. Dancers also undergo special practice sessions to learn control of their eye movements.

 

There are 24 basic mudras—the permutation and combination of which would add up a chunk of the hand gestures in vogue today. Each can again can be classified into 'Samaana-mudras'(one mudra symbolising two entities) or misra-mudras (both the hands are used to show these mudras). The mudras are a form of sign language used to tell the story.

 

The main facial expressions of a Kathakali artist are the 'navarasams' (Navarasas in anglicised form) (literal translation: Nine Tastes, but more loosely translated as nine feelings or expressions) which are Sringaram (amour), Hasyam (ridicule, humour), Bhayanakam (fear), Karunam (pathos), Roudram (anger, wrath), Veeram (valour), Beebhatsam (disgust), Adbhutam (wonder, amazement), Shantam (tranquility, peace). The link at the end of the page gives more details on Navarasas.

 

One of the most interesting aspects of Kathakali is its elaborate make-up code. Most often, the make-up can be classified into five basic sets namely Pachcha, Kathi, Kari, Thaadi, and Minukku. The differences between these sets lie in the predominant colours that are applied on the face. Pachcha (meaning green) has green as the dominant colour and is used to portray noble male characters who are said to have a mixture of "Satvik" (pious) and "Rajasik" (dark; Rajas = darkness) nature. Rajasik characters having an evil streak ("tamasic"= evil) -- all the same they are anti-heroes in the play (such as the demon king Ravana) -- and portrayed with streaks of red in a green-painted face. Excessively evil characters such as demons (totally tamasic) have a predominantly red make-up and a red beard. They are called Red Beard (Red Beard). Tamasic characters such as uncivilised hunters and woodsmen are represented with a predominantly black make-up base and a black beard and are called black beard (meaning black beard). Women and ascetics have lustrous, yellowish faces and this semi-realistic category forms the fifth class. In addition, there are modifications of the five basic sets described above such as Vella Thadi (white beard) used to depict Hanuman (the Monkey-God) and Pazhuppu, which is majorly used for Lord Shiva and Balabhadra.

 

NOTABLE TRAINING CENTRES & MASTERS

Kathakali artistes need assiduous grooming for almost a decade's time, and most masters are products of accomplished institutions that give a minimum training course of half-a-dozen years. The leading Kathakali schools (some of them started during the pre-Independent era India) are Kerala Kalamandalam (located in Cheruthuruthy near Shoranur), PSV Natya Sangham (located in Kottakal near Kozhikode), Sadanam Kathakali and Classical Arts Academy (or Gandhi Seva Sadan located in Perur near Ottappalam in Palakkad), Unnayi Varier Smaraka Kalanilayam (located in Irinjalakuda south of Thrissur), Margi in Thiruvananthapuram, Muthappan Kaliyogam at Parassinikkadavu in Kannur district and RLV School at Tripunithura off Kochi and Kalabharathi at Pakalkkuri near Kottarakkara in Kollam district, Sandarshan Kathakali Kendram in Ambalapuzha and Vellinazhi Nanu Nair Smaraka Kalakendra in Kuruvattor. Outside Kerala, Kathakali is being taught at the International Centre for Kathakali in New Delhi, Santiniketan at Visva-Bharati University in West Bengal, Kalakshetra in Chennai and Darpana Academy in Ahmedabad among others. PadmaSree Guru Chengannur Raman Pillai mostly known as 'Guru Chengannur'was running a traditional Gurukula Style approach to propagate Kathakali.

 

‘Guru Chengannur” is ever renowned as the Sovereign Guru of Kathakali. His precision in using symbols, gestures and steps were highest in the field of Kathakali. Guru Chegannur's kaththi vesham, especially the portrayal of Duryodhana enthralled the audience every time he performed. A master of the art, he found immense happiness and satisfaction in the success and recognition of his disciples.

 

Senior Kathakali exponents of today include Padma Bhushan Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, Padma Shri Kalamandalam Gopi, Madavoor Vasudevan Nair, Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair, Kottakkal Krishnankutty Nair, Mankompu Sivasankara Pillai, Sadanam Krishnankutty, Nelliyode Vasudevan Namboodiri, Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody, FACT Padmanabhan, Kottakkal Chandrasekharan, Margi Vijayakumar, Kottakkal Nandakumaran Nair, Vazhenkada Vijayan, Inchakkattu Ramachandran Pillai, Kalamandalam Kuttan, Mayyanad Kesavan Namboodiri, Mathur Govindan Kutty, Narippatta Narayanan Namboodiri, Chavara Parukutty, Thonnakkal Peethambaran, Sadanam Balakrishnan, Kalanilayam Gopalakrishnan, Chirakkara Madhavankutty, Sadanam K. Harikumaran, Thalavadi Aravindan, Kalanilayam Balakrishnan, Pariyanampatta Divakaran, Kottakkal Kesavan, Kalanilayam Gopi and Kudamaloor Muralikrishnan. The late titan actor-dancers of Kathakali's modern age (say, since the 1930s) include Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon, Chenganoor Raman Pillai, Chandu Panicker, Thakazhi Guru Kunchu Kurup, Padma Shri Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, Padma Shri Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, Kavalappara Narayanan Nair, Kurichi Kunhan Panikkar, Thekkinkattil Ramunni Nair, Padma Shri Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair, Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair, Mankulam Vishnu Namboodiri, Oyur Kochu Govinda Pillai, Vellinezhi Nanu Nair, Padma Shri Kavungal Chathunni Panikkar, Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair, Kottakkal Sivaraman, Kannan Pattali, Pallippuram Gopalan Nair, Haripad Ramakrishna Pillai, Champakkulam Pachu Pillai, Chennithala Chellappan Pillai, Guru Mampuzha Madhava Panicker, and Vaikkom Karunakaran.

 

Kathakali is still hugely a male domain but, since the 1970s, females too have made entry into the art form on a recognisable scale. The central Kerala temple town of Tripunithura has, in fact, a ladies troupe (with members belonging to several part of the state) that performs Kathakali, by and large in Travancore.

 

KATHAKALI STYLES

Known as Sampradäyaṃ(Malayalam: സമ്പ്രദായം); these are leading Kathakali styles that differ from each other in subtleties like choreographic profile, position of hand gestures and stress on dance than drama and vice versa. Some of the major original kathakali styles included:

 

Vettathu Sampradayam

Kalladikkodan Sampradyam

Kaplingadu Sampradayam

 

Of late, these have narrowed down to the northern (Kalluvazhi) and southern (Thekkan) styles. It was largely developed by the legendary Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon (1881-1949) that is implemented in Kerala Kalamandalam (though it has also a department that teaches the southern style), Sadanam, RLV and Kottakkal. Margi has its training largely based on the Thekkan style, known for its stress on drama and part-realistic techniques. Kalanilayam, effectively, churns out students with a mix of both styles.

 

OTHER FORMS OD DANCE & OFFSHOOTS

Kerala Natanam is a kind of dance form, partly based on Kathakali techniques and aesthetics, developed and stylised by the late dancer Guru Gopinath in the mid-20th century. Kathakali also finds portrayal in Malayalam feature films like Vanaprastham, Parinayam, Marattam, and Rangam. Besides documentary films have also been shot on Kathakali artistes like Chenganoor Raman Pillai, Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair, Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, Kalamandalam Gopi and Kottakkal Sivaraman.

 

As for fictional literature, Kathakali finds mention in several Malayalam short stories like Karmen (by N.S. Madhavan) and novels like Keshabharam (by P.V. Sreevalsan). Even the Indo-Anglian work like Arundhati Roy's Booker prize-winning The God of Small Things has a chapter on Kathakali, while, of late, Anita Nair's novel, Mistress, is entirely wrapped in the ethos of Kathakali.

 

Similar musical theater is popular in Kasaragod and the coastal and Malenadu regions of Karnataka, viz. Yakshagana. Though Yakshagana resembles Kathakali in terms of its costume and makeup to an extent, Yakshagana is markedly different from Kathakali as it involves dialogues and method acting also the narration is in Kannada, wherein philosophical debates are also possible within framework of the character. As per records the art form of Yakshagana was already rooted and well established at the time of Sri Manavedan Raja. There is possibilities of its significant influence in formation of Kathakkali as the troupe of performers of "Krishnanattam" designed the basic costume of the art form already established in other parts of south India including Males playing the female roles (until more recently).

 

Kottayam thamburan's way of presenting kathakali was later known as Kalladikkoden sambradayam. Chathu Paniker,the introducer of Kallikkoden Sambrathayam, stayed in Kottayam for five years with Kottayam Thamburan's residence and practiced Kalladikkoden Sambrathayam. Then he returned to his home place. After a short period Chathu Paniker reached Pulapatta as instructed by Kuthiravattath nair. That was around the year ME 865. Many deciples from Kadathanadu, Kurumbra nadu, Vettathu nadu, Palakkadu and Perumpadappu studied kathakali(Kalladikkoden Sambrathayam ) By that time Chathu Paniker was an old man. Some years later he died from Pulapatta.

 

NOTED KATHAKALI VILLAGES & BELTS

There are certain pockets in Kerala that have given birth to many Kathakali artistes over the years. If they can be called Kathakali villages (or some of them, these days, towns), here are some of them: Vellinezhi, Kuruvattoor, Karalmanna, Cherpulassery, Kothachira, peringode, sreekrishnapuram Kongad and Ottapalam in Palakkad district, Vazhenkada in Malappuram district, Thichur or Tichoor, Guruvayur, Thiruvilwamala and Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district, Tripunithura, Edappally, Thekkan Chittoor in Ernakulam district and Kuttanad, Harippad belt in Alappuzha district besides places in and around Thiruvanathapuram in south Travancore and Payyannur in north Malabar.

 

AWARDS FOR KATHAKALI ARTISTS

Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardees - Kathakali (1956–2005)

Nambeesan Smaraka Awards—For artistic performances related kathakali{1992-2008}

 

KATHAKALI ATTAMS (ELAKI ATTAMS)

Attams or more specifically "elaki attams" are sequences of acting within a story acted out with the help of mudras without support from vocal music. The actor has the freedom to change the script to suit his own individual preferences. The actor will be supported ably by Chenda, Maddalam, and Elathalam (compulsory), Chengila (not very compulsory).

 

The following are only some examples. 'Kailasa Udharanam' and 'Tapas Attam' are very important attams and these are described at the end. Two of the many references are Kathakali Prakaram, pages 95 to 142 by Pannisheri Nanu Pillai and Kathakaliyile Manodharmangal by Chavara Appukuttan Pillai.

 

VANA VARNANA: BHIMA IN KALYANA SAUGANDHIKA

Modern man looks at the forest, indeed the birthplace of primates, with a certain wonder and a certain respect. Kathakali characters are no exception.

 

When Pandavas were living in the forest, one day, a flower, not seen before, wafted by the wind, comes and falls at the feet of Panchali. Exhilarated by its beauty and smell, Panchali asks Bhima to bring her more such flowers. To her pleasure Bhima is ready to go at once. But Panchali asks him what he shall do for food and drink on the way. Bhima thinks and says "Food and Drink! Oh, this side glance (look) of yours. This look of longing. This look of anticipation. The very thought fills me up. I don't need any food and drink at all. Let me go." He takes his mace and off he goes. Ulsaham (enthusiasm) is his Sdhayi Bhavam (permanent feature).

 

"Let me go at once in search of this flower," says Bhima. "The scented wind is blowing from the southern side. Let me go that way." After walking some distance he sees a huge mountain called Gandhamadana and three ways. He decides to take the middle one which goes over the mountain. After going further "The forest is getting thicker. Big trees, big branches in all directions. The forest looks like a huge dark vessel into which even light can not penetrate. This is my (Bhima's) way. Nothing can hinder me." So saying he pulls down many trees. Sometimes he shatters the trees with his mace. Suddenly he sees an elephant. "Oh! Elephant." He describes it. Its trunk. Sharp ears.

 

The itching sensation in the body. It takes some mud and throws on the body. Oh good. Then it sucks water and throws on the body. Somewhat better. Slowly it starts dosing even though alert at times. A very huge python is approaching steadily. Suddenly it catches hold of the elephant's hind leg. The elephant wakes up and tries to disengage the python. The python pulls to one side. The elephant kicks and drags to the other side. This goes on for some time. Bhima looks to the other side where a hungry lion is looking for food. It comes running and strikes the elephants head and eats part of the brain and goes off. The python completes the rest. "Oh my god, how ruthless!" says Bhima and proceeds on his way.

 

UDYANA VARNANA: NALA IN NALACHARITHAM SECOND DAY

Descriptions of gardens are found in most dance forms of India and abroad. These are also common in Kathakali.

 

Newly married Nala and Damayanthi are walking in the garden. When Nala was lovingly looking at Damayanthi a flower falls on her. Nala is overjoyed and thinks that this is a kindness nature has shown on his wife. Nala says "On seeing the arrival of their queen, the trees and climbers are showing happiness by dropping flowers on you." He tells her, "See that tree. When I used to be alone the tree used to hug the climber and seemingly laugh at my condition." Then he looks at the tree and says, "Dear Tree, look at me now. See how fortunate I am with my beautiful wife."

 

Both wander about. A bumblebee flies towards Damayanthi. Immediately Nala protects her face with a kerchief. He looks at the bee and then at Damayanthi. He says, "On seeing your face the bee thought it was a flower and came to drink the nectar." Nala and Damayanthi listen to the sounds coming out of the garden. Damayanti says, "It appears that the whole garden is thrilled. The flowers are blooming and smiling. Cuckoos are singing and the bees are dancing. Gentle winds are blowing and rubbing against our bodies. How beautiful the whole garden looks." Then Nala says that the sun is going down and it is time for them to go back and takes her away.

 

SHABDA VARNANA: HANUMAN IN KALYANA SAUGANDHIKAM

While Bhima goes in search of the flower, here Hanuman is sitting doing Tapas with mind concentrated on Sri Rama.

 

When he hears the terrible noises made by Bhima in the forest he feels disturbed in doing his Tapas. He thinks "What is the reason for this?" Then the sounds become bigger. "What is this?" He thinks, "The sounds are getting bigger. Such a terrible noise. Is the sea coming up thinking that the time is ripe for the great deluge (Pralaya). Birds are flying helter-skelter. Trees look shocked. Even Kali Yuga is not here. Then what is it? Are mountains quarreling with each other? No, That can't be it. Indra had cut off the wings of mountains so that they don't quarrel. Is the sea changing its position? No it can't be. The sea has promised it will not change its position again. It can't break the promise." Hanuman starts looking for clues. "I see elephants and lions running in fear of somebody. Oh a huge man is coming this way. Oh, a hero is coming. He is pulling out trees and throwing it here and there. Okay. Let him come near, We will see."

 

THANDEDATTAM: RAVANA IN BALI VADHAM

After his theranottam Ravana is seen sitting on a stool. He says to himself "I am enjoying a lot of happiness. What is the reason for this?" Thinks. "Yes I know it. I did Tapas to Brahma and received all necessary boons. Afterwards I won all ten directions. I also defeated my elder brother Vaishravana. Then I lifted Kailas mountain when Siva and Parvathi were having a misunderstanding. Parvathi got frightened and embraced Siva in fear. Siva was so happy he gave a divine sword called Chandrahasa. Now the whole world is afraid of me. That is why I am enjoying so much happiness." He goes and sits on the stool. He looks far away. "Who is coming from a distance. he is coming fast. Oh, it is Akamba. Okay. Let me find out what news he has for me."

 

ASHRAMA VARNANA: ARJUNA IN KIRATHAM

Arjuna wants to do Tapas to Lord Siva and he is looking a suitable place in the Himalayan slopes. He comes to place where there is an ashram. Arjuna looks closely at the place. "Oh. What a beautiful place this is. A small river in which a very pure water is flowing. Some hermits are taking baths in the river. Some hermits are standing in the water and doing Tapsas. Some are facing the Sun. Some are standing in between five fires." Arjuna salutes the hermits from far. He says to himself "Look at this young one of a deer. It is looking for its mother. It seems to be hungry and thirsty. Nearby a female tiger is feeding its young ones. The little deer goes towards the tigress and pushes the young tiger cubs aside and starts drinking milk from the tigress. The tigress looks lovingly at the young deer and even licks its body as if it were its own child. How beautiful. How fulfilling."

 

Again he looks "Here on this side a mongoose and a serpent forgetting their enmity are hugging each other. This place is really strange and made divine by saints and hermits. Let me start my Tapas somewhere nearby."

 

A sloka called "Shikhini Shalabha" can be selected instead of the above if time permits.

 

AN ATTAM BASED ON A SLOKA

Sansrit slokas are sometimes shown in mudras and it has a pleasing and exhilarating effect. Different actors use slokas as per his own taste and liking. However, the slokas are taught to students during their training period. An example is given below.

 

Kusumo Kusumolpatti Shrooyathena Chathushyathe

Bale thava Mukhambuje Pashya Neelolpaladwayam

 

Meaning a flower blooming inside another flower is not known to history. But, my dear, in your lotus like face are seen two blue Neelolpala flowers (eyes).

 

A CONVERSATION BASED ON A SLOKA

Sanskrit slokas can also be used to express an intent. One such example is a sloka used by Arjuna addressed to Mathali the charioteer in Kalakeya Vadham. Sloka:

Pitha: Kushalee Mama hritha Bhujaam

Naatha Sachee Vallabha:

Maatha: kim nu Pralomacha Kushalinee

Soonurjayanthasthayo

Preethim va Kushchate Thadikshnavidhow

Cheta Samutkanuthe

Sutha: tvam Radhamashu Chodaya vayam

Dharmadivam Mathala

 

Meaning: The husband of Indrani and the lord of gods my father - Is he in good health? His son Jayantha - Is he strictly following the commands of his father? Oh, I am impatient to see all of them.

 

SWARGA VARNANA: ARJUNA IN KELAKEYA VADHAM

Arjuna goes to heaven on the invitation of his father, Indra. After taking permission from Indrani he goes out to see all the places in Swarga. First he sees a building, his father's palace. It is so huge with four entrances. It is made of materials superior to gold and jewels of the world. Then he goes ahead and sees Iravatha. Here he describes it as a huge elephant with four horns. He is afraid to touch it. Then he thinks that animals in Swarga can't be cruel like in the world and so thinking he goes and touches and salutes Iravatha. He describes the churning of the white sea by gods and demons with many details and how Iravatha also came out of the white sea due to this churning.

 

He walks on and sees his father's (Indra's) horse. It is described as being white and its mane is sizzling like the waves of the white sea from which it came. He touches and salutes the horse also. Then he goes to see the river of the sky (or milky way). He sees many birds by this river and how the birds fly and play is shown.

 

Then he sees the heavenly ladies. Some are collecting flowers, and one of them comes late and asks for some flowers for making garland. The others refuse. She goes to the Kalpa Vriksha and says "please give me some flowers." Immediately a shower of flowers occurs which she collects in her clothes and goes to make garlands chiding the others. "See... I also got flowers." After this he sees the music and dance of the heavenly ladies. First it starts with the adjustments of instruments Thamburu, Mridangam, Veena. Then the actual music starts along with the striking of cymbals. Then two or three types of dances are shown. Then comes juggling of balls. It is described by a sloka thus:

 

Ekopi Thraya Iva Bhathi Kandukoyam

 

Kanthayaa: Karathala Raktharaktha:

Abhrastho Nayanamareechi Neelaneelo

Popular belief is that kathakali is emerged from "Krishnanattam", the dance drama on the life and activities of Lord Krishna created by Sri Manavedan Raja, the Zamorin of Calicut (1585-1658 AD). Once Kottarakkara Thampuran, the Raja of Kottarakkara who was attracted by Krishnanattam requested the Zamorin for the loan of a troupe of performers. Due to the political rivalry between the two, Zamorin did not allow this. So Kottarakkara Thampuran created another art form called Ramanattam which was later transformed into Aattakatha. Krishnanaattam was written in Sanskrit, and Ramanattam was in Malayalam. By the end of 17th century, Attakatha was presented to the world with the title 'Kathakali'. Kathakali also shares a lot of similarities with Krishnanattam, Koodiyattam (a classical Sanskrit drama existing in Kerala) and Ashtapadiyattam (an adaptation of 12th-century musical called Gitagovindam). It also incorporates several other elements from traditional and ritualistic art forms like Mudiyettu, Thiyyattu, Theyyam and Padayani besides a minor share of folk arts like Porattunatakam. All along, the martial art of Kalarippayattu has influenced the body language of Kathakali. The use of Malayalam, the local language (albeit as a mix of Sanskrit and Malayalam, called ), has also helped the literature of Kathakali sound more transparent for the average audience. As a part of modernising, propagating, promoting and popularizing Kathakali, the International Centre for Kathakali at New Delhi has taken up a continuing project since 1980 of producing new plays based on not only traditional and mythological stories, but also historical stories, European classics and Shakespeare's plays. Recently they produced Kathakali plays based on Shakespeare's Othello and Greek-Roman mythology of Psyche and Cupid.

 

Even though the lyrics/literature would qualify as another independent element called Sahithyam, it is considered as a component of Geetha or music, as it plays only a supplementary role to

Bhumau Talcharana Naghamshu Gaurgaura:

 

Meaning One ball looks like three balls. When it is in the hands of the juggler, it takes the redness of the hands, when it goes up it takes the blueness of the eyes, when it strikes the ground it becomes white from the whiteness of the leg nails. Once a juggled ball falls down. Then she, the juggler, somehow manages to proceed and remarks "See.. how I can do it".

 

At one time a garment slips from a lady's body and she adjusts the cloth showing shameful shyness (Lajja). Then the ladies go in for a Kummi dance. As Arjuna was enjoying this dance, suddenly somebody calls him. Arjuna feels scared. "Oh God, where am I?" he says and beats a hasty retreat.

 

TAPAS ATTAM: RAVANA IN RAVANA ULBHAVAM

[Background: Mali, Sumali and Malyavan were three brothers ruling Sri Lanka. During a war between them and Indra, Indra requested help from Lord Vishnu and as a consequence Lord Vishnu killed Mali. Sumali and Malyavan escaped to Patala. Kaikasi was the daughter of Sumali. She wandered in the forest. She belong three boys through a great sage called Vishravassu. (Vishravassu had an earlier son called Vaishravana who became the richest among all people.) The eldest boy of Kaikasi was Ravana followed by Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana.]

 

SCENE 1

When Ravana was a young boy (Kutti Ravana vesham), one day he was sleeping on his mothers lap in a place called madhuvanam. At that time Kaikasi sees Vaishravana flying overhead in his vimana (mythical aeroplane). She thinks “Oh, that is Vaishravana, technically a brother of my son who is sleeping on my lap. He is rich and strong. My son is so poor and weak. While thinking thus a drop of tear from her eyes drops on Ravana’s face. Ravana suddenly wakes up and sees his mother crying. When he knew the reason he could not bear it. He says he is going to do tapas to Brahma to get boons so that he will be strong and rich.

 

SCENE 2

(The tapas itself is shown as a part of autobiographical narration of adult ravana)

 

Ravana (adult Ravana, not kutti Ravana) is sitting on a stool. He thinks “Why am I so happy? How did I become so rich and strong? Oh yes. It is because of the tapas I did. What made me do the tapas? When I was a young boy, one day I was sleeping on my mother’s lap in a place called Madhuvanam. A drop of tear from her eyes falls on my face. I asked her why she was crying. She said she saw Vaishravana flying overhead in his vimana (plane). She told me Vaishravan was a brother of mine now flying in a plane. He is rich and strong. I am so poor and weak. When I heard this comparison between me and my brother, I could not bear it. I am going to do tapas to Brahma to get boons so that I will be strong and rich.

 

I made five different types of fires (while doing tapas gods are approached through Agni the god of fire). Then I started my tapas. I asked my brothers to stand guard and also keep the fires burning. Then I fully concentrated on tapas. Time passed but Brahma did not appear. I looked. Why is Brahma not appearing? I doubled my concentration. Time passed. Brahma is not appearing. Still not appearing? I cut one of my heads and put it in the fire. Waited, Brahma did not come. One more head rolls. Still no Brahma comes. Heads roll and roll. No Brahma. Only one head is left. First I thought of stopping my tapas. But no! Never! That will be an insult to me and my family. It is better to die than stop. Also when I die Brahma will be judged as being partial. With great determination I swung the sword at my last neck, when, lo and behold, suddenly Brahma appeared and caught my hand. I looked at him with still un-subsided, but gradually subsiding anger. Brahma asked me what boons I wanted. I asked for a boon that I should win all the worlds and have all the wealth and fame and that I should not be killed except by man. I also asked him to give boons for my brothers.

 

In the next scene Ravana asks Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana what boons they got. Unfortunately Kumbhakarna’s tongue got twisted while asking for boon and he got ‘sleep’ instead of becoming the ‘king of gods’. Ravana laughed it off. As for Vibhishana, he being a bhaktha of Vishnu, asked for Vishnu’s blessings and got it. Ravana laughs it off and also decides to conquer all the worlds and starts preparing his grand army for the big conquest of the worlds.

 

[This method of presentation with a peculiar sequence has a tremendous dramatic affect. The main actor redoes a small part of what happened to kutti Ravana vesham, and this gives a view of the high contrast between the boy and the man Ravana. Similarly the presence of Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana in the subsequent scene offers a good smile on the face of the viewer at the end of the play.]

 

KAILASA UDDHARANAM: RAVANA IN BALI VIJAYAM

[Background and Previous scene: After receiving the boons, and widening his kingdom in all directions, Ravana lives in Sri Lanka with great pomp and splendor. One day he sees Saint Narada approaching his palace singing songs in praise of him ‘Jaya jaya Ravana, Lanka Pathe’. Happily he receives Narada and seats him next to him. After telling Narada about the victory of his son Indrajith on Indra, Ravana tells Narada “Now there is nobody on earth or other worlds who can fight with me”. To this Narada replies “ Very true indeed, but there is one huge monkey called Bali who says he can defeat you. He even said that you are just like a blade of grass to him. Well let him say what he wants. You are unbeatable.” Then Narada says ‘let us go there and see him’. Both decide to go. But Ravana takes his famous sword called “Chandrahasam”. Then Narada asks the history of this sword. Ravana’s Attam Starts.]

 

Ravana says “I received this sword from Lord Siva. It happened thus. Once when I was conquering new places and expanding my empire I happened to be going across the Kailasa mountain. The plane got stuck on the mountain unable to move forward. I got down from the plane and looked at the mountain. (Looks from one end to the other first horizontally and then vertically.) So huge it was. Then I decided to lift it with my bare hand and keep it aside and move forward. I started sticking my hands under it one by one. Then I tried to lift it. It doesn’t move. I put more force and more force. It moved just a bit. I pushed harder and harder, slowly it started moving then again and again and it moved easily. Then I lifted it up with my hands and started juggling it (exaggeration evident).

 

“At that particular time Lord Siva was quarreling with his wife Parvathi. Why did they fight? The story is as follows. Parvathi had gone for enjoying swimming and bathing in some beautiful pond. At that time Siva opened his jata (disheveled long hair) and called Ganga for some entertainment after asking Ganapathi and Subramania to go for some errands. Somehow becoming suspicious, right at that time, Parvathi came back in a hurry with wet clothes and saw Siva with Ganga. Siva was wondering what to do and it was at that time that Ravana started lifting the Kailasa. When Kailasa started shaking Parvathi got scared and ran to Siva and hugged him. So the quarrel ended and Siva was happy. “As a reward Siva called me and gave me this famous Chandrahasa sword.”

 

Then Narada and Ravana leave to meet Bali. Ravana wanted to take the sword along with him, but Narada suggested that the sword is not required for teaching a lesson to Bali who is after all an unarmed monkey.

 

WIKIPEDIA

What craziness is this, a day in that London on a weekday? Well, working one day last weekend, and another next weekend, meant I took a day in Lieu.

 

So there.

 

And top of my list of places to visit was St Magnus. This would be the fifth time I have tried to get inside, and the first since I wrote to the church asking whether they would be open a particular Saturday, and then any Saturday. Letters which were ignored

 

So, I walked out of Monument Station, down the hill there was St Magnus: would it be open?

 

It was, and inside it was a box, nay a treasure chest of delights.

 

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

 

St Magnus the Martyr, London Bridge is a Church of England church and parish within the City of London. The church, which is located in Lower Thames Street near The Monument to the Great Fire of London,[1] is part of the Diocese of London and under the pastoral care of the Bishop of London and the Bishop of Fulham.[2] It is a Grade I listed building.[3] The rector uses the title "Cardinal Rector". [4]

St Magnus lies on the original alignment of London Bridge between the City and Southwark. The ancient parish was united with that of St Margaret, New Fish Street, in 1670 and with that of St Michael, Crooked Lane, in 1831.[5] The three united parishes retained separate vestries and churchwardens.[6] Parish clerks continue to be appointed for each of the three parishes.[7]

St Magnus is the guild church of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers and the Worshipful Company of Plumbers, and the ward church of the Ward of Bridge and Bridge Without. It is also twinned with the Church of the Resurrection in New York City.[8]

Its prominent location and beauty has prompted many mentions in literature.[9] In Oliver Twist Charles Dickens notes how, as Nancy heads for her secret meeting with Mr. Brownlow and Rose Maylie on London Bridge, "the tower of old Saint Saviour's Church, and the spire of Saint Magnus, so long the giant-warders of the ancient bridge, were visible in the gloom". The church's spiritual and architectural importance is celebrated in the poem The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot, who adds in a footnote that "the interior of St. Magnus Martyr is to my mind one of the finest among Wren's interiors".[10] One biographer of Eliot notes that at first he enjoyed St Magnus aesthetically for its "splendour"; later he appreciated its "utility" when he came there as a sinner.

 

The church is dedicated to St Magnus the Martyr, earl of Orkney, who died on 16 April in or around 1116 (the precise year is unknown).[12] He was executed on the island of Egilsay having been captured during a power struggle with his cousin, a political rival.[13] Magnus had a reputation for piety and gentleness and was canonised in 1135. St. Ronald, the son of Magnus's sister Gunhild Erlendsdotter, became Earl of Orkney in 1136 and in 1137 initiated the construction of St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall.[14] The story of St. Magnus has been retold in the 20th century in the chamber opera The Martyrdom of St Magnus (1976)[15] by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, based on George Mackay Brown's novel Magnus (1973).

 

he identity of the St Magnus referred to in the church's dedication was only confirmed by the Bishop of London in 1926.[16] Following this decision a patronal festival service was held on 16 April 1926.[17] In the 13th century the patronage was attributed to one of the several saints by the name of Magnus who share a feast day on 19 August, probably St Magnus of Anagni (bishop and martyr, who was slain in the persecution of the Emperor Decius in the middle of the 3rd century).[18] However, by the early 18th century it was suggested that the church was either "dedicated to the memory of St Magnus or Magnes, who suffer'd under the Emperor Aurelian in 276 [see St Mammes of Caesarea, feast day 17 August], or else to a person of that name, who was the famous Apostle or Bishop of the Orcades."[19] For the next century historians followed the suggestion that the church was dedicated to the Roman saint of Cæsarea.[20] The famous Danish archaeologist Professor Jens Jacob Asmussen Worsaae (1821–85) promoted the attribution to St Magnus of Orkney during his visit to the British Isles in 1846-7, when he was formulating the concept of the 'Viking Age',[21] and a history of London written in 1901 concluded that "the Danes, on their second invasion ... added at least two churches with Danish names, Olaf and Magnus".[22] A guide to the City Churches published in 1917 reverted to the view that St Magnus was dedicated to a martyr of the third century,[23] but the discovery of St Magnus of Orkney's relics in 1919 renewed interest in a Scandinavian patron and this connection was encouraged by the Rector who arrived in 1921

 

A metropolitan bishop of London attended the Council of Arles in 314, which indicates that there must have been a Christian community in Londinium by this date, and it has been suggested that a large aisled building excavated in 1993 near Tower Hill can be compared with the 4th-century Cathedral of St Tecla in Milan.[25] However, there is no archaeological evidence to suggest that any of the mediaeval churches in the City of London had a Roman foundation.[26] A grant from William I in 1067 to Westminster Abbey, which refers to the stone church of St Magnus near the bridge ("lapidee eccle sci magni prope pontem"), is generally accepted to be 12th century forgery,[27] and it is possible that a charter of confirmation in 1108-16 might also be a later fabrication.[28] Nonetheless, these manuscripts may preserve valid evidence of a date of foundation in the 11th century.

 

Archaeological evidence suggests that the area of the bridgehead was not occupied from the early 5th century until the early 10th century. Environmental evidence indicates that the area was waste ground during this period, colonised by elder and nettles. Following Alfred's decision to reoccupy the walled area of London in 886, new harbours were established at Queenhithe and Billingsgate. A bridge was in place by the early 11th century, a factor which would have encouraged the occupation of the bridgehead by craftsmen and traders.[30] A lane connecting Botolph's Wharf and Billingsgate to the rebuilt bridge may have developed by the mid-11th century. The waterfront at this time was a hive of activity, with the construction of embankments sloping down from the riverside wall to the river. Thames Street appeared in the second half of the 11th century immediately behind (north of) the old Roman riverside wall and in 1931 a piling from this was discovered during the excavation of the foundations of a nearby building. It now stands at the base of the church tower.[31] St Magnus was built to the south of Thames Street to serve the growing population of the bridgehead area[32] and was certainly in existence by 1128-33.[33]

The small ancient parish[34] extended about 110 yards along the waterfront either side of the old bridge, from 'Stepheneslane' (later Churchehawlane or Church Yard Alley) and 'Oystergate' (later called Water Lane or Gully Hole) on the West side to 'Retheresgate' (a southern extension of Pudding Lane) on the East side, and was centred on the crossroads formed by Fish Street Hill (originally Bridge Street, then New Fish Street) and Thames Street.[35] The mediaeval parish also included Drinkwater's Wharf (named after the owner, Thomas Drinkwater), which was located immediately West of the bridge, and Fish Wharf, which was to the South of the church. The latter was of considerable importance as the fishmongers had their shops on the wharf. The tenement was devised by Andrew Hunte to the Rector and Churchwardens in 1446.[36] The ancient parish was situated in the South East part of Bridge Ward, which had evolved in the 11th century between the embankments to either side of the bridge.[37]

In 1182 the Abbot of Westminster and the Prior of Bermondsey agreed that the advowson of St Magnus should be divided equally between them. Later in the 1180s, on their presentation, the Archdeacon of London inducted his nephew as parson.

 

Between the late Saxon period and 1209 there was a series of wooden bridges across the Thames, but in that year a stone bridge was completed.[39] The work was overseen by Peter de Colechurch, a priest and head of the Fraternity of the Brethren of London Bridge. The Church had from early times encouraged the building of bridges and this activity was so important it was perceived to be an act of piety - a commitment to God which should be supported by the giving of alms. London’s citizens made gifts of land and money "to God and the Bridge".[40] The Bridge House Estates became part of the City's jurisdiction in 1282.

 

Until 1831 the bridge was aligned with Fish Street Hill, so the main entrance into the City from the south passed the West door of St Magnus on the north bank of the river.[41] The bridge included a chapel dedicated to St Thomas Becket[42] for the use of pilgrims journeying to Canterbury Cathedral to visit his tomb.[43] The chapel and about two thirds of the bridge were in the parish of St Magnus. After some years of rivalry a dispute arose between the church and the chapel over the offerings given to the chapel by the pilgrims. The matter was resolved by the brethren of the chapel making an annual contribution to St Magnus.[44] At the Reformation the chapel was turned into a house and later a warehouse, the latter being demolished in 1757-58.

The church grew in importance. On 21 November 1234 a grant of land was made to the parson of St Magnus for the enlargement of the church.[45] The London eyre of 1244 recorded that in 1238 "A thief named William of Ewelme of the county of Buckingham fled to the church of St. Magnus the Martyr, London, and there acknowledged the theft and abjured the realm. He had no chattels."[46] Another entry recorded that "The City answers saying that the church of ... St. Magnus the Martyr ... which [is] situated on the king's highway ... ought to belong to the king and be in his gift".[47] The church presumably jutted into the road running to the bridge, as it did in later times.[48] In 1276 it was recorded that "the church of St. Magnus the Martyr is worth £15 yearly and Master Geoffrey de la Wade now holds it by the grant of the prior of Bermundeseie and the abbot of Westminster to whom King Henry conferred the advowson by his charter.

 

In 1274 "came King Edward and his wife [Eleanor] from the Holy Land and were crowned at Westminster on the Sunday next after the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady [15 August], being the Feast of Saint Magnus [19 August]; and the Conduit in Chepe ran all the day with red wine and white wine to drink, for all such as wished."[50] Stow records that "in the year 1293, for victory obtained by Edward I against the Scots, every citizen, according to their several trade, made their several show, but especially the fishmongers" whose solemn procession including a knight "representing St Magnus, because it was upon St Magnus' day".

An important religious guild, the Confraternity de Salve Regina, was in existence by 1343, having been founded by the "better sort of the Parish of St Magnus" to sing the anthem 'Salve Regina' every evening.[51] The Guild certificates of 1389 record that the Confraternity of Salve Regina and the guild of St Thomas the Martyr in the chapel on the bridge, whose members belonged to St Magnus parish, had determined to become one, to have the anthem of St Thomas after the Salve Regina and to devote their united resources to restoring and enlarging the church of St Magnus.[52] An Act of Parliament of 1437[53] provided that all incorporated fraternities and companies should register their charters and have their ordinances approved by the civic authorities.[54] Fear of enquiry into their privileges may have led established fraternities to seek a firm foundation for their rights. The letters patent of the fraternity of St Mary and St Thomas the Martyr of Salve Regina in St Magnus dated 26 May 1448 mention that the fraternity had petitioned for a charter on the grounds that the society was not duly founded.

 

In the mid-14th century the Pope was the Patron of the living and appointed five rectors to the benefice.[56]

Henry Yevele, the master mason whose work included the rebuilding of Westminster Hall and the naves of Westminster Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral, was a parishioner and rebuilt the chapel on London Bridge between 1384 and 1397. He served as a warden of London Bridge and was buried at St Magnus on his death in 1400. His monument was extant in John Stow's time, but was probably destroyed by the fire of 1666.[57]

Yevele, as the King’s Mason, was overseen by Geoffrey Chaucer in his capacity as the Clerk of the King's Works. In The General Prologue of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales the five guildsmen "were clothed alle in o lyveree Of a solempne and a greet fraternitee"[58] and may be thought of as belonging to the guild in the parish of St Magnus, or one like it.[59] Chaucer's family home was near to the bridge in Thames Street.

 

n 1417 a dispute arose concerning who should take the place of honour amongst the rectors in the City churches at the Whit Monday procession, a place that had been claimed from time to time by the rectors of St Peter Cornhill, St Magnus the Martyr and St Nicholas Cole Abbey. The Mayor and Aldermen decided that the Rector of St Peter Cornhill should take precedence.[61]

St Magnus Corner at the north end of London Bridge was an important meeting place in mediaeval London, where notices were exhibited, proclamations read out and wrongdoers punished.[62] As it was conveniently close to the River Thames, the church was chosen by the Bishop between the 15th and 17th centuries as a convenient venue for general meetings of the clergy in his diocese.[63] Dr John Young, Bishop of Callipolis (rector of St Magnus 1514-15) pronounced judgement on 16 December 1514 (with the Bishop of London and in the presence of Thomas More, then under-sheriff of London) in the heresy case concerning Richard Hunne.[64]

In pictures from the mid-16th century the old church looks very similar to the present-day St Giles without Cripplegate in the Barbican.[65] According to the martyrologist John Foxe, a woman was imprisoned in the 'cage' on London Bridge in April 1555 and told to "cool herself there" for refusing to pray at St Magnus for the recently deceased Pope Julius III.[66]

Simon Lowe, a Member of Parliament and Master of the Merchant Taylors' Company during the reign of Queen Mary and one of the jurors who acquitted Sir Nicholas Throckmorton in 1554, was a parishioner.[67] He was a mourner at the funeral of Maurice Griffith, Bishop of Rochester from 1554 to 1558 and Rector of St Magnus from 1537 to 1558, who was interred in the church on 30 November 1558 with much solemnity. In accordance with the Catholic church's desire to restore ecclesiastical pageantry in England, the funeral was a splendid affair, ending in a magnificent dinner.

 

Lowe was included in a return of recusants in the Diocese of Rochester in 1577,[69] but was buried at St Magnus on 6 February 1578.[70] Stow refers to his monument in the church. His eldest son, Timothy (died 1617), was knighted in 1603. His second son, Alderman Sir Thomas Lowe (1550–1623), was Master of the Haberdashers' Company on several occasions, Sheriff of London in 1595/96, Lord Mayor in 1604/05 and a Member of Parliament for London.[71] His youngest son, Blessed John Lowe (1553–1586), having originally been a Protestant minister, converted to Roman Catholicism, studied for the priesthood at Douay and Rome and returned to London as a missionary priest.[72] His absence had already been noted; a list of 1581 of "such persons of the Diocese of London as have any children ... beyond the seas" records "John Low son to Margaret Low of the Bridge, absent without licence four years". Having gained 500 converts to Catholicism between 1583 and 1586, he was arrested whilst walking with his mother near London Bridge, committed to The Clink and executed at Tyburn on 8 October 1586.[73] He was beatified in 1987 as one of the eighty-five martyrs of England and Wales.

 

Sir William Garrard, Master of the Haberdashers' Company, Alderman, Sheriff of London in 1553/53, Lord Mayor in 1555/56 and a Member of Parliament was born in the parish and buried at St Magnus in 1571.[74] Sir William Romney, merchant, philanthropist, Master of the Haberdashers' Company, Alderman for Bridge Within and Sheriff of London in 1603/04[75] was married at St Magnus in 1582. Ben Jonson is believed to have been married at St Magnus in 1594.[76]

The patronage of St Magnus, having previously been in the Abbots and Convents of Westminster and Bermondsey (who presented alternatively), fell to the Crown on the suppression of the monasteries. In 1553, Queen Mary, by letters patent, granted it to the Bishop of London and his successors.[77]

The church had a series of distinguished rectors in the second half of the 16th and first half of the 17th century, including Myles Coverdale (Rector 1564-66), John Young (Rector 1566-92), Theophilus Aylmer (Rector 1592-1625), (Archdeacon of London and son of John Aylmer), and Cornelius Burges (Rector 1626-41). Coverdale was buried in the chancel of St Bartholomew-by-the-Exchange, but when that church was pulled down in 1840 his remains were removed to St Magnus.[78]

On 5 November 1562 the churchwardens were ordered to break, or cause to be broken, in two parts all the altar stones in the church.[79] Coverdale, an anti-vestiarian, was Rector at the peak of the vestments controversy. In March 1566 Archbishop Parker caused great consternation among many clergy by his edicts prescribing what was to be worn and by his summoning the London clergy to Lambeth to require their compliance. Coverdale excused himself from attending.[80] Stow records that a non-conforming Scot who normally preached at St Magnus twice a day precipitated a fight on Palm Sunday 1566 at Little All Hallows in Thames Street with his preaching against vestments.[81] Coverdale's resignation from St Magnus in summer 1566 may have been associated with these events. Separatist congregations started to emerge after 1566 and the first such, who called themselves 'Puritans' or 'Unspottyd Lambs of the Lord', was discovered close to St Magnus at Plumbers' Hall in Thames Street on 19 June 1567.

 

St Magnus narrowly escaped destruction in 1633. A later edition of Stow's Survey records that "On the 13th day of February, between eleven and twelve at night, there happened in the house of one Briggs, a Needle-maker near St Magnus Church, at the North end of the Bridge, by the carelessness of a Maid-Servant setting a tub of hot sea-coal ashes under a pair of stairs, a sad and lamentable fire, which consumed all the buildings before eight of the clock the next morning, from the North end of the Bridge to the first vacancy on both sides, containing forty-two houses; water then being very scarce, the Thames being almost frozen over."[83] Susannah Chambers "by her last will & testament bearing date 28th December 1640 gave the sum of Twenty-two shillings and Sixpence Yearly for a Sermon to be preached on the 12th day of February in every Year within the Church of Saint Magnus in commemoration of God's merciful preservation of the said Church of Saint Magnus from Ruin, by the late and terrible Fire on London Bridge. Likewise Annually to the Poor the sum of 17/6."[84] The tradition of a "Fire Sermon" was revived on 12 February 2004, when the first preacher was the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Richard Chartres, Bishop of London.

 

Parliamentarian rule and the more Protestant ethos of the 1640s led to the removal or destruction of "superstitious" and "idolatrous" images and fittings. Glass painters such as Baptista Sutton, who had previously installed "Laudian innovations", found new employment by repairing and replacing these to meet increasingly strict Protestant standards. In January 1642 Sutton replaced 93 feet of glass at St Magnus and in June 1644 he was called back to take down the "painted imagery glass" and replace it.[86] In June 1641 "rail riots" broke out at a number of churches. This was a time of high tension following the trial and execution of the Earl of Strafford and rumours of army and popish plots were rife. The Protestation Oath, with its pledge to defend the true religion "against all Popery and popish innovation", triggered demands from parishioners for the removal of the rails as popish innovations which the Protestation had bound them to reform. The minister arranged a meeting between those for and against the pulling down of the rails, but was unsuccessful in reaching a compromise and it was feared that they would be demolished by force.[87] However, in 1663 the parish resumed Laudian practice and re-erected rails around its communion table.[88]

Joseph Caryl was incumbent from 1645 until his ejection in 1662. In 1663 he was reportedly living near London Bridge and preaching to an Independent congregation that met at various places in the City.[89]

During the Great Plague of 1665, the City authorities ordered fires to be kept burning night and day, in the hope that the air would be cleansed. Daniel Defoe's semi-fictictional, but highly realistic, work A Journal of the Plague Year records that one of these was "just by St Magnus Church"

 

Despite its escape in 1633, the church was one of the first buildings to be destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.[91] St Magnus stood less than 300 yards from the bakehouse of Thomas Farriner in Pudding Lane where the fire started. Farriner, a former churchwarden of St Magnus, was buried in the middle aisle of the church on 11 December 1670, perhaps within a temporary structure erected for holding services.[92]

The parish engaged the master mason George Dowdeswell to start the work of rebuilding in 1668. The work was carried forward between 1671 and 1687 under the direction of Sir Christopher Wren, the body of the church being substantially complete by 1676.[93] At a cost of £9,579 19s 10d St Magnus was one of Wren's most expensive churches.[94] The church of St Margaret New Fish Street was not rebuilt after the fire and its parish was united to that of St Magnus.

 

The chancels of many of Wren’s city churches had chequered marble floors and the chancel of St Magnus is an example,[95] the parish agreeing after some debate to place the communion table on a marble ascent with steps[96] and to commission altar rails of Sussex wrought iron. The nave and aisles are paved with freestone flags. A steeple, closely modelled on one built between 1614 and 1624 by François d'Aguilon and Pieter Huyssens for the church of St Carolus Borromeus in Antwerp, was added between 1703 and 1706.[97] London's skyline was transformed by Wren's tall steeples and that of St Magnus is considered to be one his finest.[98]

The large clock projecting from the tower was a well-known landmark in the city as it hung over the roadway of Old London Bridge.[99] It was presented to the church in 1709 by Sir Charles Duncombe[100] (Alderman for the Ward of Bridge Within and, in 1708/09, Lord Mayor of London). Tradition says "that it was erected in consequence of a vow made by the donor, who, in the earlier part of his life, had once to wait a considerable time in a cart upon London Bridge, without being able to learn the hour, when he made a promise, that if he ever became successful in the world, he would give to that Church a public clock ... that all passengers might see the time of day."[101] The maker was Langley Bradley, a clockmaker in Fenchurch Street, who had worked for Wren on many other projects, including the clock for the new St Paul's Cathedral. The sword rest in the church, designed to hold the Lord Mayor's sword and mace when he attended divine service "in state", dates from 1708.

Duncombe and his benefactions to St Magnus feature prominently in Daniel Defoe's The True-Born Englishman, a biting satire on critics of William III that went through several editions from 1700 (the year in which Duncombe was elected Sheriff).

 

Shortly before his death in 1711, Duncombe commissioned an organ for the church, the first to have a swell-box, by Abraham Jordan (father and son).[103] The Spectator announced that "Whereas Mr Abraham Jordan, senior and junior, have, with their own hands, joinery excepted, made and erected a very large organ in St Magnus' Church, at the foot of London Bridge, consisting of four sets of keys, one of which is adapted to the art of emitting sounds by swelling notes, which never was in any organ before; this instrument will be publicly opened on Sunday next [14 February 1712], the performance by Mr John Robinson. The above-said Abraham Jordan gives notice to all masters and performers, that he will attend every day next week at the said Church, to accommodate all those gentlemen who shall have a curiosity to hear it".[104]

The organ case, which remains in its original state, is looked upon as one of the finest existing examples of the Grinling Gibbons's school of wood carving.[105] The first organist of St Magnus was John Robinson (1682–1762), who served in that role for fifty years and in addition as organist of Westminster Abbey from 1727. Other organists have included the blind organist George Warne (1792–1868, organist 1820-26 until his appointment to the Temple Church), James Coward (1824–80, organist 1868-80 who was also organist to the Crystal Palace and renowned for his powers of improvisation) and George Frederick Smith FRCO (1856–1918, organist 1880-1918 and Professor of Music at the Guildhall School of Music).[106] The organ has been restored several times - in 1760, 1782, 1804, 1855, 1861, 1879, 1891, 1924, 1949 after wartime damage and 1997 - since it was first built.[107] Sir Peter Maxwell Davies was one of several patrons of the organ appeal in the mid-1990s[108] and John Scott gave an inaugural recital on 20 May 1998 following the completion of that restoration.[109] The instrument has an Historic Organ Certificate and full details are recorded in the National Pipe Organ Register.[110]

The hymn tune "St Magnus", usually sung at Ascensiontide to the text "The head that once was crowned with thorns", was written by Jeremiah Clarke in 1701 and named for the church.

 

Canaletto drew St Magnus and old London Bridge as they appeared in the late 1740s.[112] Between 1756 and 1762, under the London Bridge Improvement Act of 1756 (c. 40), the Corporation of London demolished the buildings on London Bridge to widen the roadway, ease traffic congestion and improve safety for pedestrians.[113] The churchwardens’ accounts of St Magnus list many payments to those injured on the Bridge and record that in 1752 a man was crushed to death between two carts.[114] After the House of Commons had resolved upon the alteration of London Bridge, the Rev Robert Gibson, Rector of St Magnus, applied to the House for relief; stating that 48l. 6s. 2d. per annum, part of his salary of 170l. per annum, was assessed upon houses on London Bridge; which he should utterly lose by their removal unless a clause in the bill about to be passed should provide a remedy.[115] Accordingly, Sections 18 and 19 of 1756 Act provided that the relevant amounts of tithe and poor rate should be a charge on the Bridge House Estates.[116]

A serious fire broke out on 18 April 1760 in an oil shop at the south east corner of the church, which consumed most of the church roof and did considerable damage to the fabric. The fire burnt warehouses to the south of the church and a number of houses on the northern end of London Bridge.

 

As part of the bridge improvements, overseen by the architect Sir Robert Taylor, a new pedestrian walkway was built along the eastern side of the bridge. With the other buildings gone St Magnus blocked the new walkway.[117] As a consequence it was necessary in 1762 to 1763 to remove the vestry rooms at the West end of the church and open up the side arches of the tower so that people could pass underneath the tower.[118] The tower’s lower storey thus became an external porch. Internally a lobby was created at the West end under the organ gallery and a screen with fine octagonal glazing inserted. A new Vestry was built to the South of the church.[119] The Act also provided that the land taken from the church for the widening was "to be considered ... as part of the cemetery of the said church ... but if the pavement thereof be broken up on account of the burying of any persons, the same shall be ... made good ... by the churchwardens"

 

Soldiers were stationed in the Vestry House of St Magnus during the Gordon Riots in June 1780.[121]

By 1782 the noise level from the activities of Billingsgate Fish Market had become unbearable and the large windows on the north side of the church were blocked up leaving only circular windows high up in the wall.[122] At some point between the 1760s and 1814 the present clerestory was constructed with its oval windows and fluted and coffered plasterwork.[123] J. M. W. Turner painted the church in the mid-1790s.[124]

The rector of St Magnus between 1792 and 1808, following the death of Robert Gibson on 28 July 1791,[125] was Thomas Rennell FRS. Rennell was President of Sion College in 1806/07. There is a monument to Thomas Leigh (Rector 1808-48 and President of Sion College 1829/30,[126] at St Peter's Church, Goldhanger in Essex.[127] Richard Hazard (1761–1837) was connected with the church as sexton, parish clerk and ward beadle for nearly 50 years[128] and served as Master of the Parish Clerks' Company in 1831/32.[129]

In 1825 the church was "repaired and beautified at a very considerable expense. During the reparation the east window, which had been closed, was restored, and the interior of the fabric conformed to the state in which it was left by its great architect, Sir Christopher Wren. The magnificent organ ... was taken down and rebuilt by Mr Parsons, and re-opened, with the church, on the 12th February, 1826".[130] Unfortunately, as a contemporary writer records, "On the night of the 31st of July, 1827, [the church's] safety was threatened by the great fire which consumed the adjacent warehouses, and it is perhaps owing to the strenuous and praiseworthy exertions of the firemen, that the structure exists at present. ... divine service was suspended and not resumed until the 20th January 1828. In the interval the church received such tasteful and elegant decorations, that it may now compete with any church in the metropolis.

 

In 1823 royal assent was given to ‘An Act for the Rebuilding of London Bridge’ and in 1825 John Garratt, Lord Mayor and Alderman of the Ward of Bridge Within, laid the first stone of the new London Bridge.[132] In 1831 Sir John Rennie’s new bridge was opened further upstream and the old bridge demolished. St Magnus ceased to be the gateway to London as it had been for over 600 years. Peter de Colechurch[133] had been buried in the crypt of the chapel on the bridge and his bones were unceremoniously dumped in the River Thames.[134] In 1921 two stones from Old London Bridge were discovered across the road from the church. They now stand in the churchyard.

Wren's church of St Michael Crooked Lane was demolished, the final service on Sunday 20 March 1831 having to be abandoned due to the effects of the building work. The Rector of St Michael preached a sermon the following Sunday at St Magnus lamenting the demolition of his church with its monuments and "the disturbance of the worship of his parishioners on the preceeding Sabbath".[135] The parish of St Michael Crooked Lane was united to that of St Magnus, which itself lost a burial ground in Church Yard Alley to the approach road for the new bridge.[136] However, in substitution it had restored to it the land taken for the widening of the old bridge in 1762 and was also given part of the approach lands to the east of the old bridge.[137] In 1838 the Committee for the London Bridge Approaches reported to Common Council that new burial grounds had been provided for the parishes of St Michael, Crooked Lane and St Magnus, London Bridge.

 

Depictions of St Magnus after the building of the new bridge, seen behind Fresh Wharf and the new London Bridge Wharf, include paintings by W. Fenoulhet in 1841 and by Charles Ginner in 1913.[139] This prospect was affected in 1924 by the building of Adelaide House to a design by John James Burnet,[140] The Times commenting that "the new ‘architectural Matterhorn’ ... conceals all but the tip of the church spire".[141] There was, however, an excellent view of the church for a few years between the demolition of Adelaide Buildings and the erection of its replacement.[142] Adelaide House is now listed.[143] Regis House, on the site of the abandoned King William Street terminus of the City & South London Railway (subsequently the Northern Line),[144] and the Steam Packet Inn, on the corner of Lower Thames Street and Fish Street Hill,[145] were developed in 1931.

 

By the early 1960s traffic congestion had become a problem[147] and Lower Thames Street was widened over the next decade[148] to form part of a significant new east-west transport artery (the A3211).[149] The setting of the church was further affected by the construction of a new London Bridge between 1967 and 1973.[150] The New Fresh Wharf warehouse to the east of the church, built in 1939, was demolished in 1973-4 following the collapse of commercial traffic in the Pool of London[151] and, after an archaeological excavation,[152] St Magnus House was constructed on the site in 1978 to a design by R. Seifert & Partners.[153] This development now allows a clear view of the church from the east side.[154] The site to the south east of The Monument (between Fish Street Hill and Pudding Lane), formerly predominantly occupied by fish merchants,[155] was redeveloped as Centurion House and Gartmore (now Providian) House at the time of the closure of old Billingsgate Market in January 1982.[156] A comprehensive redevelopment of Centurion House began in October 2011 with completion planned in 2013.[157] Regis House, to the south west of The Monument, was redeveloped by Land Securities PLC in 1998.[158]

The vista from The Monument south to the River Thames, over the roof of St Magnus, is protected under the City of London Unitary Development Plan,[159] although the South bank of the river is now dominated by The Shard. Since 2004 the City of London Corporation has been exploring ways of enhancing the Riverside Walk to the south of St Magnus.[160] Work on a new staircase to connect London Bridge to the Riverside Walk is due to commence in March 2013.[161] The story of St Magnus's relationship with London Bridge and an interview with the rector featured in the television programme The Bridges That Built London with Dan Cruickshank, first broadcast on BBC Four on 14 June 2012.[162] The City Corporation's 'Fenchurch and Monument Area Enhancement Strategy' of August 2012 recommended ways of reconnecting St Magnus and the riverside to the area north of Lower Thames Street.

 

A lectureship at St Michael Crooked Lane, which was transferred to St Magnus in 1831, was endowed by the wills of Thomas and Susannah Townsend in 1789 and 1812 respectively.[164] The Revd Henry Robert Huckin, Headmaster of Repton School from 1874 to 1882, was appointed Townsend Lecturer at St Magnus in 1871.[165]

St Magnus narrowly escaped damage from a major fire in Lower Thames Street in October 1849.

 

During the second half of the 19th century the rectors were Alexander McCaul, DD (1799–1863, Rector 1850-63), who coined the term 'Judaeo Christian' in a letter dated 17 October 1821,[167] and his son Alexander Israel McCaul (1835–1899, curate 1859-63, rector 1863-99). The Revd Alexander McCaul Sr[168] was a Christian missionary to the Polish Jews, who (having declined an offer to become the first Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem)[169] was appointed professor of Hebrew and rabbinical literature at King's College, London in 1841. His daughter, Elizabeth Finn (1825–1921), a noted linguist, founded the Distressed Gentlefolk Aid Association (now known as Elizabeth Finn Care).[170]

In 1890 it was reported that the Bishop of London was to hold an inquiry as to the desirability of uniting the benefices of St George Botolph Lane and St Magnus. The expectation was a fusion of the two livings, the demolition of St George’s and the pensioning of "William Gladstone’s favourite Canon", Malcolm MacColl. Although services ceased there, St George’s was not demolished until 1904. The parish was then merged with St Mary at Hill rather than St Magnus.[171]

The patronage of the living was acquired in the late 19th century by Sir Henry Peek Bt. DL MP, Senior Partner of Peek Brothers & Co of 20 Eastcheap, the country's largest firm of wholesale tea brokers and dealers, and Chairman of the Commercial Union Assurance Co. Peek was a generous philanthropist who was instrumental in saving both Wimbledon Common and Burnham Beeches from development. His grandson, Sir Wilfred Peek Bt. DSO JP, presented a cousin, Richard Peek, as rector in 1904. Peek, an ardent Freemason, held the office of Grand Chaplain of England. The Times recorded that his memorial service in July 1920 "was of a semi-Masonic character, Mr Peek having been a prominent Freemason".[172] In June 1895 Peek had saved the life of a young French girl who jumped overboard from a ferry midway between Dinard and St Malo in Brittany and was awarded the bronze medal of the Royal Humane Society and the Gold Medal 1st Class of the Sociâetâe Nationale de Sauvetage de France.[173]

In November 1898 a memorial service was held at St Magnus for Sir Stuart Knill Bt. (1824–1898), head of the firm of John Knill and Co, wharfingers, and formerly Lord Mayor and Master of the Plumbers' Company.[174] This was the first such service for a Roman Catholic taken in an Anglican church.[175] Sir Stuart's son, Sir John Knill Bt. (1856-1934), also served as Alderman for the Ward of Bridge Within, Lord Mayor and Master of the Plumbers' Company.

 

Until 1922 the annual Fish Harvest Festival was celebrated at St Magnus.[176] The service moved in 1923 to St Dunstan in the East[177] and then to St Mary at Hill, but St Magnus retained close links with the local fish merchants until the closure of old Billingsgate Market. St Magnus, in the 1950s, was "buried in the stink of Billingsgate fish-market, against which incense was a welcome antidote".

 

A report in 1920 proposed the demolition of nineteen City churches, including St Magnus.[179] A general outcry from members of the public and parishioners alike prevented the execution of this plan.[180] The members of the City Livery Club passed a resolution that they regarded "with horror and indignation the proposed demolition of 19 City churches" and pledged the Club to do everything in its power to prevent such a catastrophe.[181] T. S. Eliot wrote that the threatened churches gave "to the business quarter of London a beauty which its hideous banks and commercial houses have not quite defaced. ... the least precious redeems some vulgar street ... The loss of these towers, to meet the eye down a grimy lane, and of these empty naves, to receive the solitary visitor at noon from the dust and tumult of Lombard Street, will be irreparable and unforgotten."[182] The London County Council published a report concluding that St Magnus was "one of the most beautiful of all Wren's works" and "certainly one of the churches which should not be demolished without specially good reasons and after very full consideration."[183] Due to the uncertainty about the church's future, the patron decided to defer action to fill the vacancy in the benefice and a curate-in-charge temporarily took responsibility for the parish.[184] However, on 23 April 1921 it was announced that the Revd Henry Joy Fynes-Clinton would be the new Rector. The Times concluded that the appointment, with the Bishop’s approval, meant that the proposed demolition would not be carried out.[185] Fr Fynes-Clinton was inducted on 31 May 1921.[186]

The rectory, built by Robert Smirke in 1833-5, was at 39 King William Street.[187] A decision was taken in 1909 to sell the property, the intention being to purchase a new rectory in the suburbs, but the sale fell through and at the time of the 1910 Land Tax Valuations the building was being let out to a number of tenants. The rectory was sold by the diocese on 30 May 1921 for £8,000 to Ridgways Limited, which owned the adjoining premises.[188] The Vestry House adjoining the south west of the church, replacing the one built in the 1760s, may also have been by Smirke. Part of the burial ground of St Michael Crooked Lane, located between Fish Street Hill and King William Street, survived as an open space until 1987 when it was compulsorily purchased to facilitate the extension of the Docklands Light Railway into the City.[189] The bodies were reburied at Brookwood Cemetery.

 

The interior of the church was restored by Martin Travers in 1924, in a neo-baroque style,[191] reflecting the Anglo-Catholic character of the congregation[192] following the appointment of Henry Joy Fynes-Clinton as Rector.[193] Fr Fynes, as he was often known, served as Rector of St Magnus from 31 May 1921 until his death on 4 December 1959 and substantially beautified the interior of the church.[194]

Fynes-Clinton held very strong Anglo-Catholic views, and proceeded to make St Magnus as much like a baroque Roman Catholic church as possible. However, "he was such a loveable character with an old-world courtesy which was irresistible, that it was difficult for anyone to be unpleasant to him, however much they might disapprove of his views".[195] He generally said the Roman Mass in Latin; and in personality was "grave, grand, well-connected and holy, with a laconic sense of humour".[196] To a Protestant who had come to see Coverdale's monument he is reported to have said "We have just had a service in the language out of which he translated the Bible".[197] The use of Latin in services was not, however, without grammatical danger. A response from his parishioners of "Ora pro nobis" after "Omnes sancti Angeli et Archangeli" in the Litany of the Saints would elicit a pause and the correction "No, Orate pro nobis."

 

In 1922 Fynes-Clinton refounded the Fraternity of Our Lady de Salve Regina.[198] The Fraternity's badge[199] is shown in the stained glass window at the east end of the north wall of the church above the reredos of the Lady Chapel altar. He also erected a statue of Our Lady of Walsingham and arranged pilgrimages to the Norfolk shrine, where he was one of the founding Guardians.[200] In 1928 the journal of the Catholic League reported that St Magnus had presented a votive candle to the Shrine at Walsingham "in token of our common Devotion and the mutual sympathy and prayers that are we hope a growing bond between the peaceful country shrine and the church in the heart of the hurrying City, from the Altar of which the Pilgrimages regularly start".[201]

Fynes-Clinton was General Secretary of the Anglican and Eastern Orthodox Churches Union and its successor, the Anglican and Eastern Churches Association, from 1906 to 1920 and served as Secretary to the Archbishop of Canterbury's Eastern Churches Committee from 1920 to around 1924. A Solemn Requiem was celebrated at St Magnus in September 1921 for the late King Peter of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

At the midday service on 1 March 1922, J.A. Kensit, leader of the Protestant Truth Society, got up and protested against the form of worship.[202] The proposed changes to the church in 1924 led to a hearing in the Consistory Court of the Chancellor of the Diocese of London and an appeal to the Court of Arches.[203] Judgement was given by the latter Court in October 1924. The advowson was purchased in 1931, without the knowledge of the Rector and Parochial Church Council, by the evangelical Sir Charles King-Harman.[204] A number of such cases, including the purchase of the advowsons of Clapham and Hampstead Parish Churches by Sir Charles, led to the passage of the Benefices (Purchase of Rights of Patronage) Measure 1933.[205] This allowed the parishioners of St Magnus to purchase the advowson from Sir Charles King-Harman for £1,300 in 1934 and transfer it to the Patronage Board.

 

St Magnus was one of the churches that held special services before the opening of the second Anglo-Catholic Congress in 1923.[207] Fynes-Clinton[208] was the first incumbent to hold lunchtime services for City workers.[209] Pathé News filmed the Palm Sunday procession at St Magnus in 1935.[210] In The Towers of Trebizond, the novel by Rose Macauley published in 1956, Fr Chantry-Pigg's church is described as being several feet higher than St Mary’s Bourne Street and some inches above even St Magnus the Martyr.[211]

In July 1937 Fr Fynes-Clinton, with two members of his congregation, travelled to Kirkwall to be present at the 800th anniversary celebrations of St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall. During their stay they visited Egilsay and were shown the spot where St Magnus had been slain. Later Fr Fynes-Clinton was present at a service held at the roofless church of St Magnus on Egilsay, where he suggested to his host Mr Fryer, the minister of the Cathedral, that the congregations of Kirkwall and London should unite to erect a permanent stone memorial on the traditional site where Earl Magnus had been murdered. In 1938 a cairn was built of local stone on Egilsay. It stands 12 feet high and is 6 feet broad at its base. The memorial was dedicated on 7 September 1938 and a bronze inscription on the monument reads "erected by the Rector and Congregation of St Magnus the Martyr by London Bridge and the Minister and Congregation of St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall to commemorate the traditional spot where Earl Magnus was slain, AD circa 1116 and to commemorate the Octocentenary of St Magnus Cathedral 1937"

 

A bomb which fell on London Bridge in 1940 during the Blitz of World War II blew out all the windows and damaged the plasterwork and the roof of the north aisle.[213] However, the church was designated a Grade I listed building on 4 January 1950[214] and repaired in 1951, being re-opened for worship in June of that year by the Bishop of London, William Wand.[215] The architect was Laurence King.[216] Restoration and redecoration work has subsequently been carried out several times, including after a fire in the early hours of 4 November 1995.[217] Cleaning of the exterior stonework was completed in 2010.

 

Some minor changes were made to the parish boundary in 1954, including the transfer to St Magnus of an area between Fish Street Hill and Pudding Lane. The site of St Leonard Eastcheap, a church that was not rebuilt after the Great Fire, is therefore now in the parish of St Magnus despite being united to St Edmund the King.

Fr Fynes-Clinton marked the 50th anniversary of his priesthood in May 1952 with High Mass at St Magnus and lunch at Fishmongers' Hall.[218] On 20 September 1956 a solemn Mass was sung in St Magnus to commence the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the restoration of the Holy House at Walsingham in 1931. In the evening of that day a reception was held in the large chamber of Caxton Hall, when between three and four hundred guests assembled.[219]

Fr Fynes-Clinton was succeeded as rector in 1960 by Fr Colin Gill,[220] who remained as incumbent until his death in 1983.[221] Fr Gill was also closely connected with Walsingham and served as a Guardian between 1953 and 1983, including nine years as Master of the College of Guardians.[222] He celebrated the Mass at the first National Pilgrimage in 1959[223] and presided over the Jubilee celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the Shrine in 1981, having been present at the Holy House's opening.[224] A number of the congregation of St Stephen's Lewisham moved to St Magnus around 1960, following temporary changes in the form of worship there.

 

In 1994 the Templeman Commission proposed a radical restructuring of the churches in the City Deanery. St Magnus was identified as one of the 12 churches that would remain as either a parish or an 'active' church.[226] However, the proposals were dropped following a public outcry and the consecration of a new Bishop of London.

The parish priest since 2003 has been Fr Philip Warner, who was previously priest-in-charge of St Mary's Church, Belgrade (Diocese in Europe) and Apokrisiarios for the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Serbian Orthodox Church. Since January 2004 there has been an annual Blessing of the Thames, with the congregations of St Magnus and Southwark Cathedral meeting in the middle of London Bridge.[227] On Sunday 3 July 2011, in anticipation of the feast of the translation of St Thomas Becket (7 July), a procession from St Magnus brought a relic of the saint to the middle of the bridge.[228]

David Pearson specially composed two new pieces, a communion anthem A Mhànais mo rùin (O Magnus of my love) and a hymn to St Magnus Nobilis, humilis, for performance at the church on the feast of St Magnus the Martyr, 16 April 2012.[229] St Magnus's organist, John Eady, has won composition competitions for new choral works at St Paul's Cathedral (a setting of Veni Sancte Spiritus first performed on 27 May 2012) and at Lincoln Cathedral (a setting of the Matin responsory for Advent first performed on 30 November 2013).[230]

In addition to liturgical music of a high standard, St Magnus is the venue for a wide range of musical events. The Clemens non Papa Consort, founded in 2005, performs in collaboration with the production team Concert Bites as the church's resident ensemble.[231] The church is used by The Esterhazy Singers for rehearsals and some concerts.[232] The band Mishaped Pearls performed at the church on 17 December 2011.[233] St Magnus featured in the television programme Jools Holland: London Calling, first broadcast on BBC2 on 9 June 2012.[234] The Platinum Consort made a promotional film at St Magnus for the release of their debut album In the Dark on 2 July 2012.[235]

The Friends of the City Churches had their office in the Vestry House of St Magnus until 2013.

 

Martin Travers modified the high altar reredos, adding paintings of Moses and Aaron and the Ten Commandments between the existing Corinthian columns and reconstructing the upper storey. Above the reredos Travers added a painted and gilded rood.[237] In the centre of the reredos there is a carved gilded pelican (an early Christian symbol of self-sacrifice) and a roundel with Baroque-style angels. The glazed east window, which can be seen in an early photograph of the church, appears to have been filled in at this time. A new altar with console tables was installed and the communion rails moved outwards to extend the size of the sanctuary. Two old door frames were used to construct side chapels and placed at an angle across the north-east and south-east corners of the church. One, the Lady Chapel, was dedicated to the Rector's parents in 1925 and the other was dedicated to Christ the King. Originally, a baroque aumbry was used for Reservation of the Blessed Sacrament, but later a tabernacle was installed on the Lady Chapel altar and the aumbry was used to house a relic of the True Cross.

The interior was made to look more European by the removal of the old box pews and the installation of new pews with cut-down ends. Two new columns were inserted in the nave to make the lines regular. The Wren-period pulpit by the joiner William Grey[238] was opened up and provided with a soundboard and crucifix. Travers also designed the statue of St Magnus of Orkney, which stands in the south aisle, and the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham.[239]

On the north wall there is a Russian Orthodox icon, painted in 1908. The modern stations of the cross in honey-coloured Japanese oak are the work of Robert Randall and Ashley Sands.[240] One of the windows in the north wall dates from 1671 and came from Plumbers' Hall in Chequer Yard, Bush Lane, which was demolished in 1863 to make way for Cannon Street Railway Station.[241] A fireplace from the Hall was re-erected in the Vestry House. The other windows on the north side are by Alfred Wilkinson and date from 1952 to 1960. These show the arms of the Plumbers’, Fishmongers’ and Coopers’ Companies together with those of William Wand when Bishop of London and Geoffrey Fisher when Archbishop of Canterbury and (as noted above) the badge of the Fraternity of Our Lady de Salve Regina.

The stained glass windows in the south wall, which are by Lawrence Lee and date from 1949 to 1955, represent lost churches associated with the parish: St Magnus and his ruined church of Egilsay, St Margaret of Antioch with her lost church in New Fish Street (where the Monument to the Great Fire now stands), St Michael with his lost church of Crooked Lane (demolished to make way for the present King William Street) and St Thomas Becket with his chapel on Old London Bridge.[242]

The church possesses a fine model of Old London Bridge. One of the tiny figures on the bridge appears out of place in the mediaeval setting, wearing a policeman's uniform. This is a representation of the model-maker, David T. Aggett, who is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers and was formerly in the police service.[243]

The Mischiefs by Fire Act 1708 and the Fires Prevention (Metropolis) Act 1774 placed a requirement on every parish to keep equipment to fight fires. The church owns two historic fire engines that belonged to the parish of St Michael, Crooked Lane.[244] One of these is in storage at the Museum of London. The whereabouts of the other, which was misappropriated and sold at auction in 2003, is currently unknown.

In 1896 many bodies were disinterred from the crypt and reburied at the St Magnus's plot at Brookwood Cemetery, which remains the church's burial ground.

 

Prior to the Great Fire of 1666 the old tower had a ring of five bells, a small saints bell and a clock bell.[246] 47 cwt of bell metal was recovered[247] which suggests that the tenor was 13 or 14 cwt. The metal was used to cast three new bells, by William Eldridge of Chertsey in 1672,[248] with a further saints bell cast that year by Hodson.[249] In the absence of a tower, the tenor and saints bell were hung in a free standing timber structure, whilst the others remained unhung.[250]

A new tower was completed in 1704 and it is likely that these bells were transferred to it. However, the tenor became cracked in 1713 and it was decided to replace the bells with a new ring of eight.[251] The new bells, with a tenor of 21 cwt, were cast by Richard Phelps of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. Between 1714 and 1718 (the exact date of which is unknown), the ring was increased to ten with the addition of two trebles given by two former ringing Societies, the Eastern Youths and the British Scholars.[252] The first peal was rung on 15 February 1724 of Grandsire Caters by the Society of College Youths. The second bell had to be recast in 1748 by Robert Catlin, and the tenor was recast in 1831 by Thomas Mears of Whitechapel,[253] just in time to ring for the opening of the new London Bridge. In 1843, the treble was said to be "worn out" and so was scrapped, together with the saints bell, while a new treble was cast by Thomas Mears.[254] A new clock bell was erected in the spire in 1846, provided by B R & J Moore, who had earlier purchased it from Thomas Mears.[255] This bell can still be seen in the tower from the street.

The 10 bells were removed for safe keeping in 1940 and stored in the churchyard. They were taken to Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1951 whereupon it was discovered that four of them were cracked. After a long period of indecision, fuelled by lack of funds and interest, the bells were finally sold for scrap in 1976. The metal was used to cast many of the Bells of Congress that were then hung in the Old Post Office Tower in Washington, D.C.

A fund was set up on 19 September 2005, led by Dickon Love, a member of the Ancient Society of College Youths, with a view to installing a new ring of 12 bells in the tower in a new frame. This was the first of three new rings of bells he has installed in the City of London (the others being at St Dunstan-in-the-West and St James Garlickhythe). The money was raised and the bells were cast during 2008/9 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. The tenor weighed 26cwt 3qtr 9 lbs (1360 kg) and the new bells were designed to be in the same key as the former ring of ten. They were consecrated by the Bishop of London on 3 March 2009 in the presence of the Lord Mayor[256] and the ringing dedicated on 26 October 2009 by the Archdeacon of London.[257] The bells are named (in order smallest to largest) Michael, Margaret, Thomas of Canterbury, Mary, Cedd, Edward the Confessor, Dunstan, John the Baptist, Erkenwald, Paul, Mellitus and Magnus.[258] The bells project is recorded by an inscription in the vestibule of the church.

 

The first peal on the twelve was rung on 29 November 2009 of Cambridge Surprise Maximus.[260] Notable other recent peals include a peal of Stedman Cinques on 16 April 2011 to mark the 400th anniversary of the granting of a Royal Charter to the Plumbers' Company,[261] a peal of Cambridge Surprise Royal on 28 June 2011 when the Fishmongers' Company gave a dinner for Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at their hall on the occasion of his 90th birthday[262] and a peal of Avon Delight Maximus on 24 July 2011 in solidarity with the people of Norway following the tragic massacre on Utoeya Island and in Oslo.[263] On the latter occasion the flag of the Orkney Islands was flown at half mast. In 2012 peals were rung during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on 3 June and during each of the three Olympic/Paralympic marathons, on 5 and 12 August and 9 September.

The BBC television programme, Still Ringing After All These Years: A Short History of Bells, broadcast on 14 December 2011, included an interview at St Magnus with the Tower Keeper, Dickon Love,[264] who was captain of the band that rang the "Royal Jubilee Bells" during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on 3 June 2012 to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.[265] Prior to this, he taught John Barrowman to handle a bell at St Magnus for the BBC coverage.

The bells are currently rung every Sunday around 12:15 (following the service) by the Guild of St Magnus.

 

Every other June, newly elected wardens of the Fishmongers' Company, accompanied by the Court, proceed on foot from Fishmongers' Hall[267] to St Magnus for an election service.[268] St Magnus is also the Guild Church of The Plumbers' Company. Two former rectors have served as master of the company,[269] which holds all its services at the church.[270] On 12 April 2011 a service was held to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the granting of the company's Royal Charter at which the Bishop of London, the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Richard Chartres KCVO, gave the sermon and blessed the original Royal Charter. For many years the Cloker Service was held at St Magnus, attended by the Coopers' Company and Grocers' Company, at which the clerk of the Coopers' Company read the will of Henry Cloker dated 10 March 1573.[271]

St Magnus is also the ward church for the Ward of Bridge and Bridge Without, which elects one of the city's aldermen. Between 1550 and 1978 there were separate aldermen for Bridge Within and Bridge Without, the former ward being north of the river and the latter representing the City's area of control in Southwark. The Bridge Ward Club was founded in 1930 to "promote social activities and discussion of topics of local and general interest and also to exchange Ward and parochial information" and holds its annual carol service at St Magnus.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Magnus-the-Martyr

EXPLORE Dec. 26, 2008 #258

 

I must precise that it is not my home but my home's oldest son and all the plants are artficial.

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

  

Some background:

In 1948, a swept wing version of the F-84 was created with the hope of bringing performance to the level of the F-86. The last production F-84E was fitted with a swept tail, a new wing with 38.5 degrees of leading-edge sweep and 3.5 degrees of anhedral, and a J35-A-25 engine producing 5,300 pound-force (23.58 kN) of thrust. The aircraft was designated XF-96A and flew on 3 June 1950. Although the airplane was capable of 602 knots (693 mph, 1,115 km/h), the performance gain over the F-84E was considered minor. Nonetheless, it was ordered into production in July 1950 as the F-84F Thunderstreak. The F-84 designation was eventually retained because the fighter was expected to be a low-cost improvement of the straight-wing Thunderjet with over 55 percent commonality in tooling.

 

In the meantime, the USAF, hoping for improved high-altitude performance from a more powerful engine, arranged for the British Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire turbojet engine to be built in the United States as the Wright J65. To accommodate the larger engine, YF-84Fs with a British-built Sapphire as well as production F-84Fs with the J65 had a vertically stretched fuselage, with the air intake attaining an oval cross-section. Production quickly ran into problems, though. Although tooling commonality with the Thunderjet was supposed to be 55 %, but just 15 % of the tools could actually be re-used. To make matters worse, the F-84F utilized press-forged wing spars and ribs. At the time, only three presses in the United States could manufacture these, and priority was given to the Boeing B-47 Stratojet bomber over the F-84. The YJ65-W-1 engine was considered obsolete, too, and the improved J65-W-3 did not become available until 1954. When the first production F-84F flew on 22 November 1952, it was considered not ready for operational deployment due to control and stability problems. The first 275 aircraft, equipped with conventional stabilizer-elevator tailplanes, suffered from accelerated stall pitch-up and poor turning ability at combat speeds. Beginning with Block 25, the problem was improved upon by the introduction of a hydraulically powered one-piece stabilator. A number of aircraft were also retrofitted with spoilers for improved high-speed control. As a result, the F-84F was not declared operational until 12 May 1954.

 

The second YF-84F prototype was completed with wing-root air intakes. These were not adopted for the fighter due to loss of thrust, but this arrangement kept the nose section free and permitted placement of cameras, and the different design was adopted for the RF-84F Thunderflash reconnaissance version. Being largely identical to the F-84F, the Thunderflash suffered from the same production delays and engine problems, though, delaying operational service until March 1954.

 

During the F-84F’s development the Air Defense Command was looking for a replacement for the outdated F-94 ‘Starfire’ interceptor, a hasty development from the T-33 trainer airframe with an afterburner engine and an on-board radar. However, the F-94 was only armed with machine guns in its early versions or unguided missiles in its later incarnations, which were inadequate. An aircraft with better performance, ideally with supersonic speed, a better radar, and the ability to carry guided missiles (in the form if the AIR-1 and 2 ‘Falcon’ AAMs) as well as the AIR-2 ‘Genie’ missile was now requested.

 

The Douglas AIR-2 Genie followed a unique but effective concept that represented the technological state-of-the-art: it was an unguided air-to-air rocket with a 1.5 kt W25 nuclear warhead. The interception of Soviet strategic bombers was a major military preoccupation of the late 1940s and 1950s. The World War II-age fighter armament of machine guns and cannon were inadequate to stop attacks by massed bomber formations, which were expected to come in at high altitude and at high subsonic speed. Firing large volleys of unguided rockets into bomber formations was not much better, and true air-to-air missiles were in their infancy. In 1954 Douglas Aircraft began a program to investigate the possibility of a nuclear-armed air-to-air weapon. To ensure simplicity and reliability, the weapon would be unguided, since the large blast radius made precise accuracy unnecessary. Full-scale development began in 1955, with test firing of inert warhead rockets commencing in early 1956. The final design carried a 1.5-kiloton W25 nuclear warhead and was powered by a Thiokol SR49-TC-1 solid-fuel rocket engine of 162 kN (36,000 lbf) thrust, sufficient to accelerate the rocket to Mach 3.3 during its two-second burn. Total flight time was about 12 seconds, during which time the rocket covered 10 km (6.2 mi). Targeting, arming, and firing of the weapon were coordinated by the launch aircraft's fire-control system. Detonation was by time-delay fuze, although the fuzing mechanism would not arm the warhead until engine burn-out, to give the launch aircraft sufficient time to turn and escape. However, there was no mechanism for disarming the warhead after launch. Lethal radius of the blast was estimated to be about 300 meters (980 ft). Once fired, the Genie's short flight-time and large blast radius made it virtually impossible for a bomber to avoid destruction. The rocket entered service with the designation MB-1 Genie in 1957.

 

During the development phase the first carrier aircraft earmarked to carry the AIR-2 was the Northrop F-89 Scorpion, which had already been introduced in the early Fifties. While being an all-weather interceptor with on-board radar, it was a slow and large aircraft, and outdated like the F-94. Trying to keep the F-84 production lines busy, however, Republic saw the chance to design an all-weather interceptor aircraft that would surpass the F-89’s mediocre performance and meet the AIR-2 carrier requirements on the basis of the swept-wing (R)F-84F. To emphasize its dedicated interceptor role and set it apart from its fighter-bomber ancestors, the heavily modified aircraft was designated F-96B (even though it had little to do with the XF-96A that became the F-84F) and called ‘Thunderguard’.

 

The F-96B was largely based on the RF-84F’s airframe with its wing-root air intakes, what offered ample space in the aircraft’s nose for a radar system and other equipment. The radar was coupled with a state-of-the-art Hughes MC-10 fire control system. To relieve the pilot from operating the radar system one of the fuel cells behind the cockpit was deleted and a second crew member was placed behind him under an extended, strutless hood that opened to starboard. To compensate for the loss of fuel and maintain the F-84F’s range, a new tank was mounted under the cockpit floor in the aircraft’s center of gravity.

To improve performance and cope with the raised take-off weight, the F-96B was powered by an uprated Wright J65-W-18 turbojet, which generated 0.4 kN more dry thrust than the F-84F’s original J65-W-3 (7,700 lbf/34 kN). This was not too much, though, so that the J65 was additionally outfitted with an afterburner. With this upgrade the powerplant provided a maximum thrust of 10,500 lbf (47 kN), what resulted in a markedly improved rate of climb and the ability to break the sound barrier in level flight. The additional reheat section necessitated a wider and longer rear fuselage, which had to be redesigned. As an unintended side benefit, this new tail section reduced overall drag due to a slightly area-ruled coke-bottle shape behind the wings’ trailing edge, which was even emphasized through the ventral brake parachute fairing.

Armament consisted only of missiles, which were all carried externally on wing stations, all guns of the former F-84 versions were deleted to save weight. The F-96B’s weapons range included GAR-1/2/3/4 (Later re-designated as AIM-4) radar- and IR-guided Falcon air-to-air missiles and a pair of MB-1 Genie missiles. Up to four pods with nineteen unguided 2.75 in (70 mm) "Mighty Mouse" Mk 4/Mk 40 Folding-Fin Aerial Rockets each were an alternative, too, and a pair of drop tanks were typically carried under the inner wings to provide the aircraft with sufficient range, since the new afterburner significantly increased fuel consumption.

 

Even though it was only a derivative design, the F-96B introduced a lot of innovations. One of these was the use of a diverertless supersonic inlet (DSI), a novel type of jet engine air intake to control air flow into their engines. Initial research into the DSI was done by Antonio Ferri in the 1950s. It consisted of a "bump" and a forward-swept inlet cowl, which worked together to divert boundary layer airflow away from the aircraft's engine. In the case of the F-96B this was realized as an inward-turning inlet with a variable contraction ratio. However, even though they had not been deemed necessary to guarantee a clean airflow, the F-96B’s air intakes were further modified with splitter plates to adapt them to the expected higher flight speeds and direct the air flow. The initial flight tests had also revealed a directional instability at high speed, due to the longer nose, so that the tail surfaces (both fin and stabilizers) were enlarged for the serial aircraft to compensate.

 

Another novel feature was an IRST sensor in front of the windscreen which augmented the on-board radar. This sensor, developed by Hughes International and designated ‘X-1’, was still very experimental, though, highly unreliable, and difficult to handle, because it relied on pressurized coolant to keep the sensor cold enough to operate properly, and dosing it at a consistent level proved to be difficult (if not impossible). On the other side the IRST allowed to track targets even in a massively radar-jammed environment. The 7” diameter silicone sensor was, together with the on-board radar, slaved to the fire control system so that its input could be used to lock guided missiles onto targets, primarily the GAR-1 and GAR-2 AAMs. The X-1 had a field of view of 70×140°, with an angular resolution of 1°, and operated in 2.5 micron wavelength range. When it worked properly the sensor was able to detect a B-47-sized aircraft’s tails aspect from 25 nm (29 ml/46 km) and a target of similar size from directly ahead from 10 nm (12 ml/19 km). Later, better developed versions of Hughes IRST, like the X-3 that was retrofitted to the F-101B in the early Sixties, had a better range and were more reliable.

 

During the Thunderguard’s development another competitor entered the stage, the F-101B Voodoo. In the late 1940s, the Air Force had already started a research project into the future interceptor aircraft that eventually settled on an advanced specification known as the 1954 interceptor. Contracts for this specification eventually resulted in the selection of the F-102 Delta Dagger, but by 1952 it was becoming clear that none of the parts of the specification other than the airframe would be ready by 1954; the engines, weapons, and fire control systems were all going to take too long to get into service. An effort was then started to quickly produce an interim supersonic design to replace the various subsonic interceptors then in service, and the F-101 airframe was selected as a starting point. Although McDonnell proposed the designation F-109 for the new aircraft (which was to be a substantial departure from the basic Voodoo fighter bomber), the USAF assigned the designation F-101B. Its development was protracted, so that the F-96B – even though it offered less performance – was ordered into production to fill the USAF’s urgent interceptor gap.

 

F-96B production started after a brief test phase in late 1957, and the first aircraft were delivered to the 60th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in 1958. However, when it became clear that the F-101B would finally enter service in 1959, F-96B production was quickly cut down and the initial order of 300 aircraft reduced to only 150, which were produced until early 1960 in three batches. Only sixty were directly delivered to ADC units, because these were preferably equipped with the supersonic F-102A and the new F-101B, which could also carry the nuclear Genie missile. The rest was directly handed over to Air National Guard units – and even there they were quickly joined and replaced by the early ADC aircraft.

 

Operationally, almost all F-96Bs functioned under the US–Canadian North American Air Defense Command (NORAD), which protected North American airspace from Soviet intruders, particularly the threat posed by nuclear-armed bombers. In service, the F-96Bs were soon upgraded with a data link to the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, allowing ground controllers to steer the aircraft towards its targets by making adjustments through the plane's autopilot. Furthermore, the F-96B was upgraded to allow the carrying of two GAR-11/AIM-26 Nuclear Falcon missiles instead of the Genies when they became available in 1961.

A handful F-96Bs were camouflaged during the late Sixties with the USAF’s new SEA scheme, but most aircraft retained their original bare metal finish with more or less colorful unit markings. Due to its limited capabilities and the introduction of the Mach 2 McDonnell F-4 Phantom, the last F-96B was retired from ANG service in 1971.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: 2

Length: 54t 11 1/2 in (16,77 m) incl. pitot

Wingspan: 33 ft 7.25 in (10,25 m)

Height: 16 ft 9 in (5,11 m)

Wing area: 350 sq ft (37,55 m²)

Empty weight: 13,810 lb (6.264 kg)

Gross weight: 21,035 lb (9.541 kg)

Max takeoff weight: 28,000 lb (12.701 kg)

 

Powerplant:

1× Wright J65-W-18 turbojet with 8,600 lbf (34 kN) dry thrust and 10,500 lbf (47 kN) with afterburner

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 695 mph (1,119 km/h, 604 kn, Mach 1.1) at 35,000 ft (10,668 m)

Cruise speed: 577 mph (928 km/h, 501 kn)

Range: 810 mi (1,304 km, 704 nmi) combat radius with two droptanks

Service ceiling: 49,000 ft (15,000 m)

Rate of climb: 16,300 ft/min (83 m/s)

Wing loading: 86 lb/sq ft (423 kg/m²)

 

Armament:

No internal guns;

6× underwing hardpoints for a total ordnance load of up to 6,000lb (2,727 kg), including

a pair of 191.5 US gal (727 l) or 375 US gal (1.429 l) drop tanks on the inner stations

and a mix of AIM-4 Falcon (up to six), MB-1 Genie (up to two) and/or pods with

nineteen 2.75”/70 mm FFAR unguided missiles each (up to four) on the outer stations

  

The kit and its assembly:

This fictional missing link between the RF-84F and the F-105 was conceived for the Fifties Group Build at whatifmodellers.com, an era when the USAF used a wide variety of interceptor aircraft types and technical advancements were quick and significant – in just a decade the interceptor evolved from a subsonic machine gun-toting aircraft to a guided weapons carrier platform, capable of Mach 2.

 

The F-96B (I re-used Republic’s dropped designation for the swept-wing F-84F) was to display one of the many “in between” designs, and the (R)F-84F was just a suitable basis for a conversion similar to the T-33-derived F-94, just more capable and big enough to carry the nuclear Genie missile.

The basis became Italeri’s vintage RF-84F kit, a rather simple affair with raised panel lines and a mediocre fit, plus some sinkholes. This was, however, heavily modified!

 

Work started with the implantation of a new tandem cockpit, taken wholesale from a Heller T-33. Fitting the cockpit tub into the wider Thunderflash hull was a bit tricky, putty blobs held the implant in place. The canopy was taken from the T-33, too, just the RF-84F’s original rear side windows were cut away to offer sufficient length for the longer clear part and the cockpit side walls had to be raised to an even level with the smaller windscreen with the help of styrene strips. With these adapters the T-33 canopy fitted surprisingly well over the opening and blended well into the spine.

 

The camera nose section lost its tip, which was replaced with the tail cone from a Matchbox H.S. Buccaneer (actually its air brake), and the camera windows as well as the slant surfaces that held them were PSRed away for a conical shape that extended the new pointed radome. Lots of weight in the nose and under the cockpit floor ensured a safe stance on the OOB landing gear.

The rear section behind the air brakes became all-new; for an afterburner I extended and widened the tail section and implanted the rear part from a B-66 (Italeri kit, too) engine nacelle, which received a wider nozzle (left over from a Nakotne MiG-29, a featureless thing) and an interior.

To balance the longer nose I also decided to enlarge the tail surfaces and replaced the OOB fin and stabilizers with leftover parts from a Trumpeter Il-28 bomber – the fin was shortened and the stabilizers reduced in span to match the rest of the aircraft. Despite the exotic source the parts blend well into the F-84’s overall design!

 

To add supersonic credibility and to connect the design further with the later F-105 I modified the air intakes and cut them into a raked shape – quite easy to realize. Once the wings were in place, I also added small splitter plates, left over from an Airfix BAC Strikemaster.

 

As an interceptor the armament had to be adapted accordingly, and I procured the quartet of IR-guided Falcons as well as the Genie duo from an Academy F-89. The large drop tanks were taken OOB from the Italeri kit. The Genies were mounted onto their massive Scorpion pylons under the outer wings of the F-96B, while the Falcons, due to relatively little space left under the wings, required a scratched solution. I eventually settled for dual launchers on small pylons, mounted in front of the landing gear wells. The pylons originally belong to an ESCI Ka-34 “Hokum” helicopter kit (they were just short enough!), the launch rails are a halved pair of F-4 Sidewinder rails from a Hasegawa air-to-air weapons set. With everything on place the F-96B looks quite crowded.

  

Painting and markings:

The machine would represent a late Fifties USAF type, so that the paint options were rather limited if I wanted to be authentic. ADC Grey was introduced in the early Sixties, SEA camouflage even later, so that bare metal became a natural choice – but this can be quite attractive! The model received an overall coat with acrylic “White Aluminum” from the rattle can, plus some darked panels all over the hull (Humbrol 56 for good contrast) and an afterburner section in Revell 91 (Iron Metallic) and Humbrol’s Steel Metallizer. The radome became deep black, the anti-glare panel in front of the windscreen olive drab (Revell 46). Light grey (Revell 75) was used for some small di-electric fairings.

Interior surfaces (cockpit and landing gear wells) were painted with Zinc Chromate primer (I used Humbrol 80), while the landing gear struts became silver-grey (Humbrol 56) and the inside of the covers as well as the air brakes were painted in bright red (Humbrol 19).

Once basic painting was done the model received a black ink washing and was rubbed with grinded graphite to emphasize the raised panel lines, and the material adds a nice dark metallic shine to the silver base coat.

 

Another challenge was to find suitable unit markings for the Fifties era in the decal vault, which would also fit onto the model. After a long search I eventually settled for rather simple markings from a 325th FIS F-102 from an Xtradecal sheet, which only features a rather timid fin decoration.

Finding other suitable standard markings remained demanding, though. Stars-And-Bars as well as the USAF taglines were taken from the Academy F-89 that also provided the ordnance, most stencils were taken from the OOB Italeri sheet and complemented by small markings from the scrap box. The biggest problem was the creation of a matching serial number. The “FF” code was originally used for P/F-51D Mustangs during the Korea War, but after the type had been phased out it might have been re-used? The letters as well as the serial number digits were created from various markings for USAF F-100s, also from an Xtradecal sheet.

 

Once the decals had been applied the model was sealed with semi-gloss acrylic varnish, except for the radome, the anti-glare panel as well as the walking areas on the wings as well as parts of the afterburner section, which were coated with matt varnish.

  

A rather straightforward conversion, even though finishing the project took longer than expected. But the result looks surprisingly natural and plausible. Lots of PSR was needed to modify the fuselage, though, especially the tail section was not easy to integrate into the Thunderflash’s hull. Sticking to the simple NMF livery paid IMHO out, too: the livery looks very natural and believable on the fictional aircraft, and it suits the F-84’s bulbous shape well.

Created in the 1930s and redeveloped in more recent years to include artist-designed ornamental gardens, events area, play area with splash pad, Café and toilets. Grassed areas and riverside walks for quiet relaxation, picnics and kite flying or more vigorous pursuits such as running and cycling.

 

Chester-le-Street is a market town in the County Durham district, in the ceremonial county of Durham, England. It is located around 6 miles (10 kilometres) north of Durham and is also close to Newcastle upon Tyne. The town holds markets on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. In 2011, it had a population of 24,227.

 

The town's history is ancient; records date to a Roman-built fort called Concangis. The Roman fort is the Chester (from the Latin castra) of the town's name; the Street refers to the paved Roman road that ran north–south through the town, now the route called Front Street. The parish church of St Mary and St Cuthbert is where the body of Anglo-Saxon St Cuthbert remained for 112 years before being transferred to Durham Cathedral and site of the first Gospels translation into English, Aldred writing the Old English gloss between the lines of the Lindisfarne Gospels there.

 

The Romans founded a fort named Concangis or Concagium, which was a Latinisation of the original Celtic name for the area, which also gave name to the waterway through the town, Cong Burn. The precise name is uncertain as it does not appear in Roman records, but Concangis is the name most cited today. Although a meaning "Place of the horse people" has been given, scholarly authorities consider the meaning of the name obscure.

 

Old English forms of the name include Cuneceastra and Conceastre, which takes its first two syllables from the Roman name, with the addition of the Old English word ceaster 'Roman fortification' The Universal etymological English dictionary of 1749 gives the town as Chester upon Street (and describes it as "a Village in the Bishoprick of Durham"). At some point this was shortened to the modern form.

 

There is evidence of Iron Age use of the River Wear near the town, but the history of Chester-le-Street starts with the Roman fort of Concangis. This was built alongside the Roman road Cade's Road (now Front Street) and close to the River Wear, around 100 A.D., and was occupied until the Romans left Britain in 410 A.D. At the time, the Wear was navigable to at least Concangis and may also have provided food for the garrisons stationed there.

 

After the Romans left, there is no record of who lived there (apart from some wounded soldiers from wars who had to live there), until 883 when a group of monks, driven out of Lindisfarne seven years earlier, stopped there to build a wooden shrine and church to St Cuthbert, whose body they had borne with them. While they were there, the town was the centre of Christianity for much of the north-east because it was the seat of the Bishop of Lindisfarne, making the church a cathedral. There the monks translated into English the Lindisfarne Gospels, which they had brought with them. They stayed for 112 years, leaving in 995 for the safer and more permanent home at Durham. The title has been revived as the Roman Catholic titular see of Cuncacestre.

 

The church was rebuilt in stone in 1054 and, despite the loss of its bishopric, seems to have retained a degree of wealth and influence. In 1080, most of the huts in the town were burned and many people killed in retaliation for the death of William Walcher, the first prince-bishop, at the hands of an English mob. After this devastation wrought by the Normans the region was left out of the Domesday Book of 1086; there was little left to record and the region was by then being run from Durham by the prince-bishops, so held little interest for London.

 

Cade's Road did not fall out of use but was hidden beneath later roads which became the Great North Road, the main route from London and the south to Newcastle and Edinburgh. The town's location on the road played a significant role in its development, as well as its name, as inns sprang up to cater for the travelling trade: both riders and horses needed to rest on journeys usually taking days to complete. This trade reached a peak in the early 19th century as more and more people and new mail services were carried by stagecoach, before falling off with the coming of the railways. The town was bypassed when the A167 was routed around the town and this was later supplanted by the faster A1(M).

 

The coal industry also left its mark on the town. From the late 17th century onwards, coal was dug in increasing quantities in the region. Mining was centred around the rivers, for transportation by sea to other parts of the country, and Chester-le-Street was at the centre of the coal being dug and shipped away down the Wear, so a centre of coal related communication and commerce. At the same time, the growth of the mines and the influx of miners supported local businesses, not just the many inns but new shops and services, themselves bringing in more people to work in them. These people would later work in new industries established in the town to take advantage of its good communications and access to raw materials.

 

One of the most tragic episodes in the town's history and that of the coal industry in NE England occurred during a miners' strike during the winter of 1811/12. Collieries owned by the Dean and Chapter of Durham Cathedral were brought to a standstill by the strike, causing much hardship amongst the people of the town. The strike was broken on New Year's Day, 1 January 1812, when the Bishop of Durham, Shute Barrington, sent a detachment of troops from Durham Castle to force a return to work. It is thought that this uncharacteristic act by Barrington was due to pressure from the national government in Westminster who were concerned that the strike was affecting industrial output of essential armaments for the Napoleonic Wars.

 

On the evening of 5 October 1936, the Jarrow Marchers stopped at the town centre after their first day's walk. The church hall was used to house them before they continued onward the following day.

 

From 1894 until 2009, local government districts were governed from the town. From 1894 to 1974, it had a rural district, which covered the town and outlying villages. In 1909, the inner rural district formed an urban district, which covered the town as it was at that time.

 

By 1974, the town expanded out of the urban district, during that year's reforms the urban and rural districts, as well as other areas formed a non-metropolitan district. It was abolished in 2009 reforms when the non-metropolitan county became a unitary authority.

 

The town has a mild climate and gets well below average rainfall relative to the UK. It does though experience occasional floods. To the east of the town lies the Riverside cricket ground and Riverside Park. They were built on the flood plains of the River Wear, and are often flooded when the river bursts its banks. The town centre is subject to occasional flash flooding, usually after very heavy rain over the town and surrounding areas, if the rain falls too quickly for it to be drained away by Cong Burn. The flooding occurs at the bottom of Front Street where the Cong Burn passes under the street, after it was enclosed in concrete in 1932.

 

Chester-le-Street's landmarks

A brick-red, elliptically curved arch, twice as wide as it is high, over an open area with a brick-red surface

Front of a three-storey building, six windows across, with a large-framed wood door at ground level and a painted sign with the words "THE QUEENS HEAD"

Square castle with square tower

A large railway viaduct made from red bricks, topped by railings and electric pylons

The general Post Office, the marketplace with the former Civic Heart sculpture (now demolished), the Queens Head Hotel on Front Street, Lumley Castle and Chester Burn viaduct

John Leland described Chester-le-Street in the 1530s as "Chiefly one main street of very mean building in height.", a sentiment echoed by Daniel Defoe.

 

The viaduct to the northwest of the town centre was completed in 1868 for the North Eastern Railway, to enable trains to travel at high speed on a more direct route between Newcastle and Durham. It is over 230m long with 11 arches, now spanning a road and supermarket car-park, and is a Grade II listed structure.

 

Lumley Castle was built in 1389. It is on the eastern bank of the River Wear and overlooks the town and the Riverside Park.

 

The Queens Head Hotel is located in the central area of the Front Street. It was built over 250 years ago when Front Street formed part of the main route from Edinburgh and Newcastle to London and the south of England. A Grade II listed building, it is set back from the street and is still one of the largest buildings in the town centre.

 

Chester-le-Street Post Office at 137 Front Street is in Art Deco style and replaced a smaller building located on the corner of Relton Terrace and Ivanhoe Terrace. It opened in 1936 and is unusual in that it is one of a handful[30] of post offices that display the royal cypher from the brief reign of Edward VIII.

 

Main article: St Mary and St Cuthbert, Chester-le-Street

St Mary and St Cuthbert church possesses a rare surviving anchorage, one of the best-preserved in the country. It was built for an anchorite, an extreme form of hermit. His or her walled-up cell had only a slit to observe the altar and an opening for food, while outside was an open grave for when the occupant died. It was occupied by six anchorites from 1383 to c. 1538, and is now a museum known as the Anker's House. The north aisle is occupied by a line of Lumley family effigies, only five genuine, assembled circa 1590. Some have been chopped off to fit and resemble a casualty station at Agincourt, according to Sir Simon Jenkins in his England's Thousand Best Churches. This and Lumley Castle are Chester-le-Street's only Grade I listed buildings.

 

The Bethel United Reformed church on Low Chare

The small United Reformed Church on Low Chare, just off the main Front Street, was built in 1814 as the Bethel Congregational Chapel and remodelled in 1860. It is still in use and is a Grade II listed building.

 

The Riverside Ground, known for sponsorship reasons as the Seat Unique Riverside, is home to Durham County Cricket Club which became a first class county in 1992. Since 1999, the ground has hosted many international fixtures, usually involving the England cricket team. The ground was also host to two fixtures at the 1999 Cricket World Cup, and three fixtures at the 2019 Cricket World Cup. The town also has its own cricket club, Chester-le-Street Cricket Club based at the Ropery Lane ground. They are the current Champions of the North East Premier League, won the national ECB 45 over tournament in 2009 and reached the quarter-final of the national 20/20 club championship in 2009.

 

Chester-le-Street Amateur Rowing Club is based on the River Wear near the Riverside cricket ground and has been there for over 100 years. During the summer months the club operate mainly on the river, but in the winter move to indoor sessions during the evenings and use the river at weekends.

 

The club has over 160 members of which 90 are junior members, with numbers increasing annually. The club are well thought of by British Rowing as a lead club for junior development with many juniors now competing at GB level, and some competing for GB at international events.

 

Medieval football was once played in the town. The game was played annually on Shrove Tuesday between the "Upstreeters" and "Downstreeters". Play started at 1 pm and finished at 6 pm. To start the game, the ball was thrown from a window in the centre of the town and in one game more than 400 players took part. The centre of the street was the dividing line and the winner was the side where the ball was (Up or Down) at 6 pm. It was played from the Middle Ages until 1932, when it was outlawed by the police and people trying to carry on the tradition were arrested. Chester-le-Street United F.C. were founded in 2020 and compete in the Northern Football League Division Two. In the 2022/23 season they finished above their local rivals Chester-le-Street Town F.C. who were founded in 1972 and compete in the Northern Football League Division Two and based just outside Chester-le-street in Chester Moor.

 

Chester-le-Street railway station is a stop on the East Coast Main Line of the National Rail network between Newcastle and Durham; it opened in 1868. The station is served by two train operating companies:

 

TransPennine Express provides services between Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Leeds, York, Durham and Newcastle;

Northern Trains runs a limited service in early mornings and evenings; destinations include Newcastle, Carlisle and Darlington.

The station is managed by Northern Trains.

 

The town is mentioned in the 1963 song "Slow Train" by Flanders and Swann:

 

No churns, no porter, no cat on a seat,

At Chorlton-cum-Hardy or Chester-le-Street.

 

Chester-le-Street's bus services are operated primarily by Go North East and Arriva North East; routes connect the town with Newcastle, Durham, Middlesbrough and Seaham.

 

The town is the original home of The Northern General Transport Company, which has since grown into Go North East; it operated from the Picktree Lane Depot until 2023 when it was demolished. It also pioneered the use of Minilink bus services in the North East in 1985.

 

Front Street first carried the A1 road, between London and Edinburgh, through the town. A bypass was built in the 1950s, which still exists today as the A167. The bypass road itself was partly bypassed by, and partly incorporated in, the A1(M) motorway in the 1970s.

 

The northern end of Front Street was once the start of the A6127, which is the road that would continue through Birtley, Gateshead and eventually over the Tyne Bridge; it become the A6127(M) central motorway in Newcastle upon Tyne. However, when the Gateshead-Newcastle Western Bypass of the A1(M) was opened, many roads in this area were renumbered; they followed the convention that roads originating between single digit A roads take their first digit from the single digit A road in an anticlockwise direction from their point of origin. Newcastle Road, which was formerly designated A1, is now unclassified. The A6127 was renamed the A167. Car traffic is now banned from the northern part of Front Street and it is restricted to buses, cyclists and delivery vehicles.

 

Education

Primary schools

Cestria Primary School

Bullion Lane Primary School

Woodlea Primary School

Lumley Junior and Infant School

Newker Primary School

Red Rose Primary School

Chester-le-Street CE Primary School

St Cuthbert's RCVA Primary School

Secondary schools

Park View School

Hermitage Academy

 

Notable people

Michael Barron, footballer

Aidan Chambers, children's author, Carnegie Medal and Hans Christian Andersen Award winner

William Browell Charlton, trade union leader, Durham County Colliery Enginemen's Association, National Federation of Colliery Enginemen and Boiler Firemen

Ellie Crisell, journalist and television presenter

Ronnie Dodd, footballer

Danny Graham, footballer

Andrew Hayden-Smith, actor and presenter

Grant Leadbitter, footballer

Sheila Mackie, artist

Jock Purdon, folk singer and poet

Adam Reach, footballer

Bryan Robson, former England football captain, and his brothers Justin and Gary, also footballers

Gavin Sutherland, conductor and pianist

Colin Todd, football manager and former England international player

Olga and Betty Turnbull, child entertainers of the 1930s who performed for royalty

Kevin "Geordie" Walker, guitarist of post-punk group Killing Joke

Peter Ward, footballer

Bruce Welch of pop group The Shadows

 

It is twinned with:

Germany Kamp-Lintfort in Germany.

 

County Durham, officially simply Durham is a ceremonial county in North East England. The county borders Northumberland and Tyne and Wear to the north, the North Sea to the east, North Yorkshire to the south, and Cumbria to the west. The largest settlement is Darlington, and the county town is the city of Durham.

 

The county has an area of 2,721 km2 (1,051 sq mi) and a population of 866,846. The latter is concentrated in the east; the south-east is part of the Teesside built-up area, which extends into North Yorkshire. After Darlington (92,363), the largest settlements are Hartlepool (88,855), Stockton-on-Tees (82,729), and Durham (48,069). For local government purposes the county comprises three unitary authority areas—County Durham, Darlington, and Hartlepool—and part of a fourth, Stockton-on-Tees. The county historically included the part of Tyne and Wear south of the River Tyne, and excluded the part of County Durham south of the River Tees.

 

The west of the county contains part of the North Pennines uplands, a national landscape. The hills are the source of the rivers Tees and Wear, which flow east and form the valleys of Teesdale and Weardale respectively. The east of the county is flatter, and contains by rolling hills through which the two rivers meander; the Tees forms the boundary with North Yorkshire in its lower reaches, and the Wear exits the county near Chester-le-Street in the north-east. The county's coast is a site of special scientific interest characterised by tall limestone and dolomite cliffs.

 

What is now County Durham was on the border of Roman Britain, and contains survivals of this era at sites such as Binchester Roman Fort. In the Anglo-Saxon period the region was part of the Kingdom of Northumbria. In 995 the city of Durham was founded by monks seeking a place safe from Viking raids to house the relics of St Cuthbert. Durham Cathedral was rebuilt after the Norman Conquest, and together with Durham Castle is now a World Heritage Site. By the late Middle Ages the county was governed semi-independently by the bishops of Durham and was also a buffer zone between England and Scotland. County Durham became heavily industrialised in the nineteenth century, when many collieries opened on the Durham coalfield. The Stockton and Darlington Railway, the world's first public railway to use steam locomotives, opened in 1825. Most collieries closed during the last quarter of the twentieth century, but the county's coal mining heritage is remembered in the annual Durham Miners' Gala.

 

Remains of Prehistoric Durham include a number of Neolithic earthworks.

 

The Crawley Edge Cairns and Heathery Burn Cave are Bronze Age sites. Maiden Castle, Durham is an Iron Age site.

 

Brigantia, the land of the Brigantes, is said to have included what is now County Durham.

 

There are archaeological remains of Roman Durham. Dere Street and Cade's Road run through what is now County Durham. There were Roman forts at Concangis (Chester-le-Street), Lavatrae (Bowes), Longovicium (Lanchester), Piercebridge (Morbium), Vindomora (Ebchester) and Vinovium (Binchester). (The Roman fort at Arbeia (South Shields) is within the former boundaries of County Durham.) A Romanised farmstead has been excavated at Old Durham.

 

Remains of the Anglo-Saxon period include a number of sculpted stones and sundials, the Legs Cross, the Rey Cross and St Cuthbert's coffin.

 

Around AD 547, an Angle named Ida founded the kingdom of Bernicia after spotting the defensive potential of a large rock at Bamburgh, upon which many a fortification was thenceforth built. Ida was able to forge, hold and consolidate the kingdom; although the native British tried to take back their land, the Angles triumphed and the kingdom endured.

 

In AD 604, Ida's grandson Æthelfrith forcibly merged Bernicia (ruled from Bamburgh) and Deira (ruled from York, which was known as Eforwic at the time) to create the Kingdom of Northumbria. In time, the realm was expanded, primarily through warfare and conquest; at its height, the kingdom stretched from the River Humber (from which the kingdom drew its name) to the Forth. Eventually, factional fighting and the rejuvenated strength of neighbouring kingdoms, most notably Mercia, led to Northumbria's decline. The arrival of the Vikings hastened this decline, and the Scandinavian raiders eventually claimed the Deiran part of the kingdom in AD 867 (which became Jórvík). The land that would become County Durham now sat on the border with the Great Heathen Army, a border which today still (albeit with some adjustments over the years) forms the boundaries between Yorkshire and County Durham.

 

Despite their success south of the river Tees, the Vikings never fully conquered the Bernician part of Northumbria, despite the many raids they had carried out on the kingdom. However, Viking control over the Danelaw, the central belt of Anglo-Saxon territory, resulted in Northumbria becoming isolated from the rest of Anglo-Saxon Britain. Scots invasions in the north pushed the kingdom's northern boundary back to the River Tweed, and the kingdom found itself reduced to a dependent earldom, its boundaries very close to those of modern-day Northumberland and County Durham. The kingdom was annexed into England in AD 954.

 

In AD 995, St Cuthbert's community, who had been transporting Cuthbert's remains around, partly in an attempt to avoid them falling into the hands of Viking raiders, settled at Dunholm (Durham) on a site that was defensively favourable due to the horseshoe-like path of the River Wear. St Cuthbert's remains were placed in a shrine in the White Church, which was originally a wooden structure but was eventually fortified into a stone building.

 

Once the City of Durham had been founded, the Bishops of Durham gradually acquired the lands that would become County Durham. Bishop Aldhun began this process by procuring land in the Tees and Wear valleys, including Norton, Stockton, Escomb and Aucklandshire in 1018. In 1031, King Canute gave Staindrop to the Bishops. This territory continued to expand, and was eventually given the status of a liberty. Under the control of the Bishops of Durham, the land had various names: the "Liberty of Durham", "Liberty of St Cuthbert's Land" "the lands of St Cuthbert between Tyne and Tees" or "the Liberty of Haliwerfolc" (holy Wear folk).

 

The bishops' special jurisdiction rested on claims that King Ecgfrith of Northumbria had granted a substantial territory to St Cuthbert on his election to the see of Lindisfarne in 684. In about 883 a cathedral housing the saint's remains was established at Chester-le-Street and Guthfrith, King of York granted the community of St Cuthbert the area between the Tyne and the Wear, before the community reached its final destination in 995, in Durham.

 

Following the Norman invasion, the administrative machinery of government extended only slowly into northern England. Northumberland's first recorded Sheriff was Gilebert from 1076 until 1080 and a 12th-century record records Durham regarded as within the shire. However the bishops disputed the authority of the sheriff of Northumberland and his officials, despite the second sheriff for example being the reputed slayer of Malcolm Canmore, King of Scots. The crown regarded Durham as falling within Northumberland until the late thirteenth century.

 

Following the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror appointed Copsig as Earl of Northumbria, thereby bringing what would become County Durham under Copsig's control. Copsig was, just a few weeks later, killed in Newburn. Having already being previously offended by the appointment of a non-Northumbrian as Bishop of Durham in 1042, the people of the region became increasingly rebellious. In response, in January 1069, William despatched a large Norman army, under the command of Robert de Comines, to Durham City. The army, believed to consist of 700 cavalry (about one-third of the number of Norman knights who had participated in the Battle of Hastings), entered the city, whereupon they were attacked, and defeated, by a Northumbrian assault force. The Northumbrians wiped out the entire Norman army, including Comines, all except for one survivor, who was allowed to take the news of this defeat back.

 

Following the Norman slaughter at the hands of the Northumbrians, resistance to Norman rule spread throughout Northern England, including a similar uprising in York. William The Conqueror subsequently (and successfully) attempted to halt the northern rebellions by unleashing the notorious Harrying of the North (1069–1070). Because William's main focus during the harrying was on Yorkshire, County Durham was largely spared the Harrying.

 

Anglo-Norman Durham refers to the Anglo-Norman period, during which Durham Cathedral was built.

 

Matters regarding the bishopric of Durham came to a head in 1293 when the bishop and his steward failed to attend proceedings of quo warranto held by the justices of Northumberland. The bishop's case went before parliament, where he stated that Durham lay outside the bounds of any English shire and that "from time immemorial it had been widely known that the sheriff of Northumberland was not sheriff of Durham nor entered within that liberty as sheriff. . . nor made there proclamations or attachments". The arguments appear to have prevailed, as by the fourteenth century Durham was accepted as a liberty which received royal mandates direct. In effect it was a private shire, with the bishop appointing his own sheriff. The area eventually became known as the "County Palatine of Durham".

 

Sadberge was a liberty, sometimes referred to as a county, within Northumberland. In 1189 it was purchased for the see but continued with a separate sheriff, coroner and court of pleas. In the 14th century Sadberge was included in Stockton ward and was itself divided into two wards. The division into the four wards of Chester-le-Street, Darlington, Easington and Stockton existed in the 13th century, each ward having its own coroner and a three-weekly court corresponding to the hundred court. The diocese was divided into the archdeaconries of Durham and Northumberland. The former is mentioned in 1072, and in 1291 included the deaneries of Chester-le-Street, Auckland, Lanchester and Darlington.

 

The term palatinus is applied to the bishop in 1293, and from the 13th century onwards the bishops frequently claimed the same rights in their lands as the king enjoyed in his kingdom.

 

The historic boundaries of County Durham included a main body covering the catchment of the Pennines in the west, the River Tees in the south, the North Sea in the east and the Rivers Tyne and Derwent in the north. The county palatinate also had a number of liberties: the Bedlingtonshire, Islandshire and Norhamshire exclaves within Northumberland, and the Craikshire exclave within the North Riding of Yorkshire. In 1831 the county covered an area of 679,530 acres (2,750.0 km2) and had a population of 253,910. These exclaves were included as part of the county for parliamentary electoral purposes until 1832, and for judicial and local-government purposes until the coming into force of the Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844, which merged most remaining exclaves with their surrounding county. The boundaries of the county proper remained in use for administrative and ceremonial purposes until the Local Government Act 1972.

 

Boldon Book (1183 or 1184) is a polyptichum for the Bishopric of Durham.

 

Until the 15th century, the most important administrative officer in the Palatinate was the steward. Other officers included the sheriff, the coroners, the Chamberlain and the chancellor. The palatine exchequer originated in the 12th century. The palatine assembly represented the whole county, and dealt chiefly with fiscal questions. The bishop's council, consisting of the clergy, the sheriff and the barons, regulated judicial affairs, and later produced the Chancery and the courts of Admiralty and Marshalsea.

 

The prior of Durham ranked first among the bishop's barons. He had his own court, and almost exclusive jurisdiction over his men. A UNESCO site describes the role of the Prince-Bishops in Durham, the "buffer state between England and Scotland":

 

From 1075, the Bishop of Durham became a Prince-Bishop, with the right to raise an army, mint his own coins, and levy taxes. As long as he remained loyal to the king of England, he could govern as a virtually autonomous ruler, reaping the revenue from his territory, but also remaining mindful of his role of protecting England’s northern frontier.

 

A report states that the Bishops also had the authority to appoint judges and barons and to offer pardons.

 

There were ten palatinate barons in the 12th century, most importantly the Hyltons of Hylton Castle, the Bulmers of Brancepeth, the Conyers of Sockburne, the Hansards of Evenwood, and the Lumleys of Lumley Castle. The Nevilles owned large estates in the county. John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby rebuilt Raby Castle, their principal seat, in 1377.

 

Edward I's quo warranto proceedings of 1293 showed twelve lords enjoying more or less extensive franchises under the bishop. The repeated efforts of the Crown to check the powers of the palatinate bishops culminated in 1536 in the Act of Resumption, which deprived the bishop of the power to pardon offences against the law or to appoint judicial officers. Moreover, indictments and legal processes were in future to run in the name of the king, and offences to be described as against the peace of the king, rather than that of the bishop. In 1596 restrictions were imposed on the powers of the chancery, and in 1646 the palatinate was formally abolished. It was revived, however, after the Restoration, and continued with much the same power until 5 July 1836, when the Durham (County Palatine) Act 1836 provided that the palatine jurisdiction should in future be vested in the Crown.

 

During the 15th-century Wars of the Roses, Henry VI passed through Durham. On the outbreak of the Great Rebellion in 1642 Durham inclined to support the cause of Parliament, and in 1640 the high sheriff of the palatinate guaranteed to supply the Scottish army with provisions during their stay in the county. In 1642 the Earl of Newcastle formed the western counties into an association for the King's service, but in 1644 the palatinate was again overrun by a Scottish army, and after the Battle of Marston Moor (2 July 1644) fell entirely into the hands of Parliament.

 

In 1614, a Bill was introduced in Parliament for securing representation to the county and city of Durham and the borough of Barnard Castle. The bishop strongly opposed the proposal as an infringement of his palatinate rights, and the county was first summoned to return members to Parliament in 1654. After the Restoration of 1660 the county and city returned two members each. In the wake of the Reform Act of 1832 the county returned two members for two divisions, and the boroughs of Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland acquired representation. The bishops lost their secular powers in 1836. The boroughs of Darlington, Stockton and Hartlepool returned one member each from 1868 until the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.

 

The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 reformed the municipal boroughs of Durham, Stockton on Tees and Sunderland. In 1875, Jarrow was incorporated as a municipal borough, as was West Hartlepool in 1887. At a county level, the Local Government Act 1888 reorganised local government throughout England and Wales. Most of the county came under control of the newly formed Durham County Council in an area known as an administrative county. Not included were the county boroughs of Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland. However, for purposes other than local government, the administrative county of Durham and the county boroughs continued to form a single county to which the Crown appointed a Lord Lieutenant of Durham.

 

Over its existence, the administrative county lost territory, both to the existing county boroughs, and because two municipal boroughs became county boroughs: West Hartlepool in 1902 and Darlington in 1915. The county boundary with the North Riding of Yorkshire was adjusted in 1967: that part of the town of Barnard Castle historically in Yorkshire was added to County Durham, while the administrative county ceded the portion of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in Durham to the North Riding. In 1968, following the recommendation of the Local Government Commission, Billingham was transferred to the County Borough of Teesside, in the North Riding. In 1971, the population of the county—including all associated county boroughs (an area of 2,570 km2 (990 sq mi))—was 1,409,633, with a population outside the county boroughs of 814,396.

 

In 1974, the Local Government Act 1972 abolished the administrative county and the county boroughs, reconstituting County Durham as a non-metropolitan county. The reconstituted County Durham lost territory to the north-east (around Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland) to Tyne and Wear and to the south-east (around Hartlepool) to Cleveland. At the same time it gained the former area of Startforth Rural District from the North Riding of Yorkshire. The area of the Lord Lieutenancy of Durham was also adjusted by the Act to coincide with the non-metropolitan county (which occupied 3,019 km2 (1,166 sq mi) in 1981).

 

In 1996, as part of 1990s UK local government reform by Lieutenancies Act 1997, Cleveland was abolished. Its districts were reconstituted as unitary authorities. Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees (north Tees) were returned to the county for the purposes of Lord Lieutenancy. Darlington also became a third unitary authority of the county. The Royal Mail abandoned the use of postal counties altogether, permitted but not mandatory being at a writer wishes.

 

As part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England initiated by the Department for Communities and Local Government, the seven district councils within the County Council area were abolished. The County Council assumed their functions and became the fourth unitary authority. Changes came into effect on 1 April 2009.

 

On 15 April 2014, North East Combined Authority was established under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 with powers over economic development and regeneration. In November 2018, Newcastle City Council, North Tyneside Borough Council, and Northumberland County Council left the authority. These later formed the North of Tyne Combined Authority.

 

In May 2021, four parish councils of the villages of Elwick, Hart, Dalton Piercy and Greatham all issued individual votes of no confidence in Hartlepool Borough Council, and expressed their desire to join the County Durham district.

 

In October 2021, County Durham was shortlisted for the UK City of Culture 2025. In May 2022, it lost to Bradford.

 

Eighteenth century Durham saw the appearance of dissent in the county and the Durham Ox. The county did not assist the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715. The Statue of Neptune in the City of Durham was erected in 1729.

 

A number of disasters happened in Nineteenth century Durham. The Felling mine disasters happened in 1812, 1813, 1821 and 1847. The Philadelphia train accident happened in 1815. In 1854, there was a great fire in Gateshead. One of the West Stanley Pit disasters happened in 1882. The Victoria Hall disaster happened in 1883.

 

One of the West Stanley Pit disasters happened in 1909. The Darlington rail crash happened in 1928. The Battle of Stockton happened in 1933. The Browney rail crash happened in 1946.

 

The First Treaty of Durham was made at Durham in 1136. The Second Treaty of Durham was made at Durham in 1139.

 

The county regiment was the Durham Light Infantry, which replaced, in particular, the 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) and the Militia and Volunteers of County Durham.

 

RAF Greatham, RAF Middleton St George and RAF Usworth were located in County Durham.

 

David I, the King of Scotland, invaded the county in 1136, and ravaged much of the county 1138. In 17 October 1346, the Battle of Neville's Cross was fought at Neville's Cross, near the city of Durham. On 16 December 1914, during the First World War, there was a raid on Hartlepool by the Imperial German Navy.

 

Chroniclers connected with Durham include the Bede, Symeon of Durham, Geoffrey of Coldingham and Robert de Graystanes.

 

County Durham has long been associated with coal mining, from medieval times up to the late 20th century. The Durham Coalfield covered a large area of the county, from Bishop Auckland, to Consett, to the River Tyne and below the North Sea, thereby providing a significant expanse of territory from which this rich mineral resource could be extracted.

 

King Stephen possessed a mine in Durham, which he granted to Bishop Pudsey, and in the same century colliers are mentioned at Coundon, Bishopwearmouth and Sedgefield. Cockfield Fell was one of the earliest Landsale collieries in Durham. Edward III issued an order allowing coal dug at Newcastle to be taken across the Tyne, and Richard II granted to the inhabitants of Durham licence to export the produce of the mines, without paying dues to the corporation of Newcastle. The majority was transported from the Port of Sunderland complex, which was constructed in the 1850s.

 

Among other early industries, lead-mining was carried on in the western part of the county, and mustard was extensively cultivated. Gateshead had a considerable tanning trade and shipbuilding was undertaken at Jarrow, and at Sunderland, which became the largest shipbuilding town in the world – constructing a third of Britain's tonnage.[citation needed]

 

The county's modern-era economic history was facilitated significantly by the growth of the mining industry during the nineteenth century. At the industry's height, in the early 20th century, over 170,000 coal miners were employed, and they mined 58,700,000 tons of coal in 1913 alone. As a result, a large number of colliery villages were built throughout the county as the industrial revolution gathered pace.

 

The railway industry was also a major employer during the industrial revolution, with railways being built throughout the county, such as The Tanfield Railway, The Clarence Railway and The Stockton and Darlington Railway. The growth of this industry occurred alongside the coal industry, as the railways provided a fast, efficient means to move coal from the mines to the ports and provided the fuel for the locomotives. The great railway pioneers Timothy Hackworth, Edward Pease, George Stephenson and Robert Stephenson were all actively involved with developing the railways in tandem with County Durham's coal mining industry. Shildon and Darlington became thriving 'railway towns' and experienced significant growths in population and prosperity; before the railways, just over 100 people lived in Shildon but, by the 1890s, the town was home to around 8,000 people, with Shildon Shops employing almost 3000 people at its height.

 

However, by the 1930s, the coal mining industry began to diminish and, by the mid-twentieth century, the pits were closing at an increasing rate. In 1951, the Durham County Development Plan highlighted a number of colliery villages, such as Blackhouse, as 'Category D' settlements, in which future development would be prohibited, property would be acquired and demolished, and the population moved to new housing, such as that being built in Newton Aycliffe. Likewise, the railway industry also began to decline, and was significantly brought to a fraction of its former self by the Beeching cuts in the 1960s. Darlington Works closed in 1966 and Shildon Shops followed suit in 1984. The county's last deep mines, at Easington, Vane Tempest, Wearmouth and Westoe, closed in 1993.

 

Postal Rates from 1801 were charged depending on the distance from London. Durham was allocated the code 263 the approximate mileage from London. From about 1811, a datestamp appeared on letters showing the date the letter was posted. In 1844 a new system was introduced and Durham was allocated the code 267. This system was replaced in 1840 when the first postage stamps were introduced.

 

According to the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1911): "To the Anglo-Saxon period are to be referred portions of the churches of Monk Wearmouth (Sunderland), Jarrow, Escomb near Bishop Auckland, and numerous sculptured crosses, two of which are in situ at Aycliffe. . . . The Decorated and Perpendicular periods are very scantily represented, on account, as is supposed, of the incessant wars between England and Scotland in the 14th and 15th centuries. The principal monastic remains, besides those surrounding Durham cathedral, are those of its subordinate house or "cell," Finchale Priory, beautifully situated by the Wear. The most interesting castles are those of Durham, Raby, Brancepeth and Barnard. There are ruins of castelets or peel-towers at Dalden, Ludworth and Langley Dale. The hospitals of Sherburn, Greatham and Kepyer, founded by early bishops of Durham, retain but few ancient features."

 

The best remains of the Norman period include Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle, and several parish churches, such as St Laurence Church in Pittington. The Early English period has left the eastern portion of the cathedral, the churches of Darlington, Hartlepool, and St Andrew, Auckland, Sedgefield, and portions of a few other churches.

 

'Durham Castle and Cathedral' is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Elsewhere in the County there is Auckland Castle.

I cant remember the precise date (approx 1964) or loco numbers-but it was a Saturday afternoon

© Lars Schumacher

Picking up a fish passing by at super fast speed, elegant and precise the Great Black Hawk

Lézard vert de Manapany

 

Ce petit gecko merveilleusement coloré est endémique de la Réunion et plus précisément d'une bande côtière de 10km seulement autour du village de Manapany. C'est de ce fait une espèce en grand danger de disparition, d'autant plus qu'une nouvelle espèce invasive (P. laticauda) introduite de Madagascar est en train de se propager rapidement et menace de le faire disparaître si rien n'est fait. Contrairement aux autres geckos, il n'est pas exclusivement insectivore et préfère les fruits (mangue, banane, papaye...) ou le nectar des fleurs. Il n'hésite d'ailleurs pas à voler les sacs à pollen des abeilles pour s'en délecter.

 

This colourful gecko is endemic from Reunion and it is found in a very small area around the village of Manapany, which makes it one of the most endangered species in the world. It is now threatened by the introduction of another beautiful gecko introduced from Madagascar (P. laticauda) which is spreading fast across the island and will probably cause the extinction of this wonderful creature. Unlike other geckos, it does not feed exclusively on insects but prefers fruit like mango, banana or papaya and the nectar of flowers. It doesn't hesitate to steal the pollen sacs from honey bees to feast on them .

The American Industrial Center commands the street corner with an authoritative presence that speaks to both its historical roots and contemporary purpose. Shot during the blue hour when natural light fades and artificial illumination takes over, this massive structure showcases one of San Francisco's most successful examples of industrial adaptive reuse at the Pier 70 complex.

This building's design language is distinctly different from its historic brick neighbors across the street. The warm terracotta and cream-colored facade, punctuated by hundreds of steel-framed windows arranged in a precise grid, represents a more modern approach to preserving industrial character. The exposed concrete structure with its bold horizontal banding creates a rhythm across the facade that's both industrial and elegant. It's a careful balance between honoring the site's manufacturing heritage and creating functional contemporary space.

The ground floor colonnade is particularly striking—a series of white columns creating a covered arcade that provides both practical weather protection and architectural drama. The generous ceiling height and open design of this ground-level space recall the loading docks and open bays that would have characterized the original industrial waterfront. Modern lighting fixtures illuminate the walkway, casting bright pools of light that contrast beautifully with the deep blue twilight sky above.

Looking at the fenestration pattern, you can see how the building is organized. Those massive window groupings speak to the flexible loft-style spaces within—high ceilings, open floor plans, and abundant natural light. This is exactly what creative companies, tech startups, and design firms look for when choosing office space. The industrial bones provide character that no suburban office park could replicate, while the modern systems and finishes provide the functionality contemporary businesses require.

The street scene itself tells a story about how Pier 70 functions today. A few cars are parked along the curbs, traffic signals glow red and blue, and the crosswalk striping is crisp and fresh. The overhead power lines cutting across the frame are a reminder that this is a working neighborhood, not some sanitized development that erases all traces of urban grit. That utility pole on the right and the various street fixtures ground the scene in everyday urban reality.

What's particularly notable about this perspective is how it captures the building's corner condition. Corner buildings have always been architecturally significant—they're visible from multiple directions, they anchor intersections, and they help define the character of a neighborhood. The American Industrial Center embraces this responsibility, presenting strong facades on both street frontages and creating a landmark that helps orient visitors to the district.

The lighting design deserves attention. Those glowing windows on the upper floors suggest activity within—people working late, businesses that operate beyond traditional hours. The variety in the window illumination, with some blue-toned lights visible among the warmer glows, hints at the diverse mix of tenants and uses within. Meanwhile, the ground-floor lighting creates a welcoming pedestrian environment, crucial for a neighborhood that's trying to balance its industrial past with a more mixed-use future.

Dogpatch and the broader Pier 70 area have become a laboratory for urban planners and developers interested in adaptive reuse. Rather than demolishing these massive industrial structures, San Francisco has chosen to preserve and repurpose them. The American Industrial Center represents a slightly different approach than the historic brick buildings nearby—here, the strategy was to create new construction that respects the industrial aesthetic without directly mimicking historical architecture. It's contextual design that speaks to its surroundings while maintaining its own distinct identity.

The empty streets at this hour create a contemplative atmosphere. You can appreciate the architecture without distraction, study the interplay of light and shadow, and imagine the building's multiple lives—past industrial uses, periods of vacancy or underutilization, and now this current chapter as a hub for the modern economy.

Je précise évidemment pas quelle peut alors être la qualité d'un tel sujet xD

 

Olympus E510 + RMC Tokina 28mm

 

It was a nice Sunday : It rained all day long and the lazy sun had decided to hide behind heavy grey and stormy clouds.

  

- - - A way better view - - -

   

Bored, I asked him a favour and he kindly accepted. But for 10 minutes only.

  

And... this is why my subject is kinda pathetic ;-p

    

Edited Webb Space Telescope image of the Eagle Nebula (M16) seen in mid-infrared and colored appropriately for Halloween. Color/processing variant.

 

Original caption: The NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope’s mid-infrared view of the Pillars of Creation strikes a chilling tone. Thousands of stars that exist in this region disappear from view — and seemingly endless layers of gas and dust become the centrepiece. The detection of dust by Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) is extremely important — dust is a major ingredient for star formation. Many stars are actively forming in these dense blue-grey pillars. When knots of gas and dust with sufficient mass form in these regions, they begin to collapse under their own gravitational attraction, slowly heat up, and eventually form new stars. Although the stars appear to be missing, they aren’t. Stars typically do not emit much mid-infrared light. Instead, they are easiest to detect in ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light. In this MIRI view, two types of stars can be identified. The stars at the end of the thick, dusty pillars have recently eroded most of the more distant material surrounding them but they can be seen in mid-infrared light because they are still surrounded by cloaks of dust. In contrast, blue tones indicate stars that are older and have shed most of their gas and dust. Mid-infrared light also details dense regions of gas and dust. The red region toward the top, which forms a delicate V shape, is where the dust is both diffuse and cooler. And although it may seem like the scene clears toward the bottom left of this view, the darkest grey areas are where densest and coolest regions of dust lie. Notice that there are many fewer stars and no background galaxies popping into view. Webb’s mid-infrared data will help researchers determine exactly how much dust is in this region — and what it’s made of. These details will make models of the Pillars of Creation far more precise. Over time, we will begin to understand more clearly how stars form and burst out of these dusty clouds over millions of years. Contrast this view with Webb’s near-infrared light image. MIRI was contributed by ESA and NASA, with the instrument designed and built by a consortium of nationally funded European Institutes (The MIRI European Consortium) in partnership with JPL and the University of Arizona. [Image Description: Semi-opaque layers of blue and grey gas and dust start at the bottom left and rise toward the top right. There are three prominent pillars. The left pillar is the largest and widest. The peaks of the second and third pillars are set off in darker shades of blue outlines. Few red stars appear within the pillars. Some blue and white stars dot the overall scene.]

This geometrically precise Astrophytum myriostigma decided to become even more beautiful, sending up an equally geometric flower bud — though its silky, delicate petals weren't caught in bloom this time.

Learn more at Top Tropicals: toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/astrophytum_sp.htm

They say my head is in the clouds, cloud nine to be precise

You see the world is turning on and somethings are just the way they are they are

 

Patrice - Clouds (grooveshark) (spotify) (youtube = poor sound quality) (last.fm)

 

View large on black

 

About:

This one was kinda calling out that it would be shown in B&W. You always have to obey the wishes of your photos, so here it is, all black'n'white :))

The set not easy, I had to improvise to get this far out on the edge and compose this :))

 

Discussion

Comments and critique are as always welcome. Let me hear your opinion, why do you like this, or even better, how would you approach this scenery. Give me your thoughts... If you can't find anything to critique, a simple "nice" is cool too :))

 

Thanks

In and out of Explore, thanks to all for comments and faves :))

 

Use

This photo is Copyrighted © All rights reserved. Print versions and downloadable files are available on my SmugMug site. Hope to see you there :)

 

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There is no a precise number, but it is estimated that exist over half a billion stray cats around the world.

With an extraordinary adaptability (and reproduction), these little hearts populate the five continents, fascinate billions of humans, and often need to have their populations controlled.

In traveling around the globe, these felines stand out for their sensitive eyes, the elegance of their movements and their deep extinction of survival.

This photo book is a tribute to these little beings with big hearts and striking eyes and a record of respect for the exceptional enchantment they bring us on walks around the world.

Intended for different profiles - animal lovers, world walkers or simply those looking for a book to gift or adorn the room - this publication does not set boundaries between decoration, art and philosophy. Each reader will find their own answer.

  

ENGLISH VERSION

www.amazon.com/dp/1688420711

 

Spanish (Espanol)

www.amazon.com.es/dp/1688428143

 

French (Francais)

www.amazon.fr/dp/1688444548

 

Portuguese (Português)

www.amazon.com.br/dp/1686015062

Well, to be more precise, the Pompolona Lodge, our stop for the night.

 

The rain finally stopped around lunchtime, which was good. We had already had to wade through some flooded sections of the track, and there were contingency plans for crossing a river before the lodge. In fact, there is a shelter called the "Bus Stop" for hikers to wait if the river is not cross-able. Fortunately, the river had subsided enough that we could cross at the ford.

 

This is pretty typical of the beech forest we hiked through. It was beautiful!

by leica_camera ift.tt/1Z9vHWj

Snow biking above Tegernsee, Bavaria.

20th January 2008.

At that precise time, I was happy. That was my first photo session of fireworks. I was ideally positioned upstream of the Mirabeau Bridge. In front of me, the Grenelle bridge, and Statue of Liberty*.

I was surrounded by friendly people.

I can testify that nobody knew that blood had flown at Nice. The first report came on my smartphone about ten minutes after the fireworks.

I felt devastated.

These four pictures are dedicated to Nice victims.

 

A cette heure précise, j'étais heureux. C'était ma première session photo d'un feux d'artifice. J'étais idéalement positionné en amont du pont Mirabeau. En face de moi, le pont de Grenelle, et la statue de la liberté.

J'étais entouré de gens sympathiques.

Je peux témoigner qu'autour de moi, personne ne savait que le sang avait coulé à Nice. La première notification (le Figaro) est tombée sur mon smartphone environ 5 minutes après la fin du feux d'artifice.

J'ai été dévasté.

Ces quatre photos sont dédiées aux victimes de Nice.

 

* en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replicas_of_the_Statue_of_Liberty#P...

 

Sony Alpha A7

RF Jupiter-9 2/85mm for Zorki camera (KMZ 1954) M/L39 adapter

Shown here