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© 2016 Lyn Randle.
Please DO NOT USE, copy, sell, share or download this image. It is illegal to use someone else's images without their permission. My work is NOT for free.
Crowned and clothed in Teacake wrappers... I don't even like Tunnocks Teacakes that much, I just think Scottish people are born with a spidey-sense for the damn things ;)
How do you treat yourself? Will you allow me to do it for you today? With these dark chocolate Morello cherry and cognac cakes!
More on What's for lunch, honey?
Last weekend I finally managed a trip to see this little beauty. A very rare visitor to our shores, that is making many people make the trip to the North Yorkshire village of Skinningrove. A stomping ground when I was a youngster, I couldn't resist the pull.
He performed extremely well, with only two of us watching him for nearly 4hrs, and often popping up on the rocks only 5-6ft away. A great morning ending with a call in for coffee and teacakes with my parents.
I for one am thrilled with the popularity of the cupcake. So sweet and good and like a little trip back to your childhood. This one belongs to my oldest daughter who opts for the vanilla/vanilla variety. Which I guess is lucky for me since it was working better in this shot than my chocolate/chocolate one.
Baked in the new rubbery baking mold.
Glazed with strawberry jam, coz I could.
45 minutes at 160 deg C
More moist than heretofore.
It'll do.
Horse has returned!
I received so many requests to keep going with this project, thank you all!
My camera broke and while on holiday, I just needed a break from everything.
Hello Horse.
Today is my birthday, and very often I bake my own birthday cake to celebrate with. However this year a very kind and generous friend gave me a wonderful glazed orange birthday tea cake, decorated with coconut infused mascarpone, glazed orange wedges and desiccated coconut. It was such a lovely surprise, as they questioned me about my favourite cake type and I never suspected for a moment that they would then buy me a cake to save me from having to bake my own! Thank you so much my very special friend!
Today is not only my birthday, but the birthday of many others including one of my favourite actresses Lauren Bacall, guitarist BB King, magician David Copperfield and politician Lee Kuan Yew. Perhaps it is your birthday today too. If it is, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very happy birthday. If it isn't, then please allow me to wish you a very happy un-birthday! Whatever you do, may you have a lovely day.
Thank you to all my friends and Flickr followers for your kind birthday wishes. I am truly touched and feel very loved and there is nothing better than to know that you are loved, whether on your birthday or at any day of the year.
The tea set in this photograph is a Roslyn "Minuet" tea set, made in England in the 1930s.
Out for a ride this afternoon..
Popped in at Revs and Relics for a cup of tea and a toasted teacake..
Then took a circular route home to see if I could see any sunset..
Missed the sunset itself but saw some afterglow which was cool..
So some Yorkshire and Derbyshire this afternoon..!
A shot inspired by the manic and wonderful shots of Solar Scot (see his amazing TunnockHenge masterpiece) and Nifty (the Minty Dave series is pure genius and very funny to us nut-cases). I would love to be able to produce indoor classics like that pair do. We devotees of the Scottish sect of Droolids (known as Druids to the uninitiated) find the Leaning Tower of Teacakes to be second only to TunnockHenge as a sacred Biscuitology site (U.S. devotees of the cult have formed a splinter-religion called Cookieists). The Scottish love of biscuits and cakes is probably why we have so many toothless wonders in our midst. Have a great day and keep on laughing.
Cavendish Mews is a smart set of flats in Mayfair where flapper and modern woman, the Honourable Lettice Chetwynd has set up home after coming of age and gaining her allowance. To supplement her already generous allowance, and to break away from dependence upon her family, Lettice has established herself as a society interior designer, so her flat is decorated with a mixture of elegant antique Georgian pieces and modern Art Deco furnishings, using it as a showroom for what she can offer to her well heeled clients.
Today however we are northwest of Lettice’s flat, in the working-class London suburb of Harlesden where Edith, Lettice’s maid, and her best friend and fellow maid-of-all-work, Hilda are visiting Edith’s beloved parent for a few hours on their Wednesday afternoon off before going on to catch a late afternoon showing of ‘The Scarlet Woman’* at the nearby Willesden Hippodrome**. Like Edith, Hilda works as a live-in maid and resides just around the corner from Cavendish Mews, in nearby Hill Street. She works for Lettice’s married friends, Margot and Dickie Channon. However, Edith and Hilda met one another at their previous employer, Mrs. Plaistow’s, Pimlico townhouse where the two shared a cold and uncomfortable attic bedroom. In spite of the fact that they are both working for different people now, the girls remain the very best of friends, and catch up frequently. Edith’s father, George, works at the McVitie and Price biscuit factory in Harlesden as a Line Manager, and her mother, Ada, takes in laundry at home. They live in a small, two storey brick terrace house which opens out directly onto the street, and is far removed from the grandeur of Lettice’s Mayfair flat, but has always been a cosy and welcoming home for Edith and her younger brother Bert, as well as any number of their friends, including Hilda.
We find ourselves in the heart of the Watsford’s family home, Ada’s cosy kitchen at the back of the terrace. Ada is holding court, standing at her worn round kitchen table as she gives Hilda another impromptu lesson in Christmas baking as she rolls out some pale sweet shortcrust pastry with her trusty old wooden rolling pin which had belonged to her mother before her. Her daughter and Hilda sit at the table on tall ladderback chairs to either side of her, watching Ada as she takes up a flour dusted fluted metal biscuit cutter and sinks it with ease into the rolled out pastry, cutting out a dainty pastry case. Removing the cutter and leaving it lightly sitting atop the rolled out, but as of yet uncut pastry, she picks up the casing gently in her floured fingers and places it in the final empty space in her patty pan***.
“And there you have it, Hilda,” Ada says with a satisfied sigh. “The perfect pastry casing for a perfect fruit mince pie!”
“The perfect fruit mince pie will be the one I can eat right now.” George mutters from behind his newspaper as he sits by the hearth in the comfort of his Windsor chair.
“You aren’t having a one of these fruit mince pies until Christmas Day, George!” Ada quips. “And that’s a fact.”
“Oh Mrs. W.!” Hilda gasps. “You make it all look so simple!”
“After you’ve made a few batches, it will be as easy for you as it is for me, Hilda love.” Ada assures the young maid.
“Do you really think so, Mrs. W.?” Hilda asks with wide eyes.
“Course I do, Hilda love.” Ada goes on.
“It’s true, Hilda,” Edith adds from her chair. “The more you practice, the better you’ll get, just like Mum. I was the same as you once.”
“You’ve never been hopeless at cooking, Edith.” Hilda mutters disparagingly.
“You aren’t hopeless at cooking either, Hilda!” Edith exclaims, standing up and reaching across the table, clasping her best friend’s hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You’ve improved so much with a bit of help from me, some instruction from Mum,” She nods at her mother and smiles gratefully. “And practice.” Letting go of her friend’s hand, she resumes her seat. “No, I meant I was nervous like you are now.” She sighs as she sees Hilda’s face crumple up, betraying how nervous she really is. “But once I had baked a few different things, made a few mistakes in the process, and learned from them, I became much more comfortable.”
“We all have to make mistakes, Hilda love.” Ada remarks. “Like Edith says, you have to make mistakes so you can learn from them.”
George snorts loudly and chuckles behind his copy of the Daily Express.
“And what are you chortling about, George Watsford?” Ada asks, casting an askance glance at her husband.
“Nothing Ada love,” he replies, still chuckling from behind the newspaper sheets which he ruffles noisily to try and cover his amusement. “Just something Rupert Bear**** is up to.”
“Oh no you aren’t Dad!” Edith giggles. “You’re well past page seven*****.”
“George?” Ada queries warily whilst Hilda glances anxiously between Ada’s clouding face and the open Daily Express broadsheet behind which George hides.
Finally the paper lowers and George’s beaming face, red with holding in his laughter appears. Glancing out at his wife, his daughter and her best friend, he admits, “Well, I was actually thinking about your biggest baking disaster, Ada love.”
“Oh, not that story again, Dad!” Edith groans. “We all know the story of how before you and Mum were married, but were stepping out together, at the Easter Sunday Picnic organised by the Vicar of All Souls******, everyone got a hot cross bun because Mum was being a good Christian soul and handed them out, except for you because she’d given them to everyone else.”
Ada blushes with embarrassment as she is reminded of a piece of her own history that she would rather her daughter didn’t know about.
“It’s true Mr. W.,” Hilda remarks, leaning on the top worn rung of the back of the ladderback chair she is sitting in as she looks at Edith’s father. “Even I’ve heard it from Edith.”
“Oh, that wasn’t the story I was thinking of!” George chuckles, before openly laughing aloud, his noisy guffaws filling the tiny Harlesden terrace house kitchen.
“George!” Ada says warningly in a low voice. “What are you going to tell our daughter and her friend? Am I going to like it?”
“Oh!” George wipes tears of mirth from his cheeks. “I doubt it, Ada love, but I think it’s worth taking the rap******* to retell it.” He bursts into a new barrage of wheezing laughter that make him breathless.
“Well come on then, Dad!” Edith exclaims. “Tell us!”
“Don’t encourage your dad, Edith love!” Ada chides her daughter mildly. Turning her attention back to her red-faced husband she adds, “He doesn’t need any help from anyone in that department.” She eyeballs him.
“When your mum and I were courting, Edith love,” George finally begins after taking a gulp of tea from his dainty floral Colclough******** teacup, one of Ada’s porcelain treasures found at a flea market*********. “She thought to curry favour she’d best make a nice teacake for my mum, since she was hoping to to become her future daughter-in-law by marrying me.”
“I keep telling you George,” Ada protests. “It was only because of my Mum’s blue and white Delftware cannisters. I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“What didn’t you do on purpose, Mum?” Edith asks excitedly.
“Never you mind, Edith love!” Ada answers quickly.
“What happened, Mr. W.?” Hilda giggles, her eyes agog as she hangs on the older man’s every word.
“So, she made a lovely apple teacake. Well,” George adds as an afterthought. “It looked lovely.”
“What do you mean, looked lovely?” Edith asks. “Didn’t it taste nice? We’ve had Mum’s apple teacake plenty of times over the years and it is always scrumptious.”
“Well,” George laughs, again wiping the tears of joviality from the corners of his eyes and his deep set wrinkles around them. “This one certainly wasn’t! You see, Edith love, your Mum had put in a cup of salt, rather than a cup of sugar into the batter! You should have seen Granny Watsford’s face when she ate her first mouthful! Her mouth nearly imploded whilst her eyes practically burst from their sockets! It was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen!”
George breaks into uncontrollable laughter, which is soon joined by that of his daughter and her friend as they all laugh loudly at the story.
“I told you, George,” Ada defends herself, blushing red as she looks at the trio laughing around her, before breaking into a good natured chuckle of her own as she remembers her then future mother-in-law’s alarmed face as she sat ramrod stiff in her old Victorian button back********** upholstered chair, one of two now in Ada and George’s front parlour, and chewed slowly on the cake, before swallowing it awkwardly. “All Mum’s cannisters were all the same size and unmarked. It’s why I make sure that I keep our sugar in that tin cannister, and I keep the salt in a glass jar.”
“Oh Mum!” Edith laughs, wiping her own eyes which now stream with jovial tears. “That’s awful.”
“What was worse was that your Granny ate the whole mouthful and swallowed it, of politeness and deference to your Mum, Edith love.” George goes on. “She liked her you see, and she didn’t want to offend her! Once she’d finished her mouthful, she just quietly put her plate aside, arose, and excused herself with as much dignity as she could muster, asking your Mum to join her in the scullery with a hoarse voice.”
“Did you all try the cake too, Mr. W.?” Hilda asks.
“Heavens no, Hilda love! We’d all figured out from my Mum’s reaction that there was something very, very wrong with the cake. None of us were game to try it!”
“Shouldn’t you be heading back to work after tea, George?” Ada asks, folding her arms akimbo and looking meaningfully at her husband. “I’m sure I can hear the Christmas biscuits selection calling you.”
“Oh! Oh alright, Ada love.” George gasps as he recovers his breath from all his laughter. “Looks like I’m being banished, girls, so I’ll say my goodbyes to you both.” He puts his newspaper aside, gets up from his seat and walks over to the pegs by the door leading from the kitchen to the scullery, where his coat, hat and scarf hang.
“Be grateful I let you back into the house after your shift, George Wastford!” Ada mutters, but the glint in her eye and the gentle upturn in the corners of her mouth betray the fact that she isn’t really cross with her husband for sharing her story.
“You wouldn’t do that to me, Ada love.” George remarks, wrapping his knitted scarf tightly around his neck before shucking on his coat.
“Tell too many tales like that about me, and you might push your luck.” Ada replies, cocking her eyebrow, but smiling at ger husband.
“Alright, bye love!” George dons his tweed flat cap and walks across the flagstones to kiss his wife. After giving her a chaste, yet loving kiss, he turns to Edith and Hilda at the table. “Bye girls.” He waves and turns away.
“Bye Mr. W.!” Hilda says brightly.
“Bye Dad!” Edith calls after the retreating figure of her father as he disappears into the scullery and walks out the back door and into the terrace’s rear garden.
“What crust!” Ada scoffs as she hears him close the back door. “And thinking of crusts,” She turns her attention back to Edith and Hilda. “We should get on with baking these fruit mince pies before it’s time for you girls to go. We need to give them time to cook and cool.”
Edith and Hilda sit in their seats, smirking, their eyes bright with amusement as Ada mixes the large white bowl of fruit mince before her. “Alright, up here, Hilda love!” she says in a commanding voice, taking control of the situation, and regaining her dignity after George’s tale. “You’ll never learn unless you practice, and if you make a mistake, like I did with the apple tea cake I made that day for old Mrs. Watsford, you’ll learn from it.”
“Yes Mrs. W.!”
Hilda gets up from her seat and stands alongside Ada in front of the pan.
“Now, take up the spoons,” Ada directs. “And use one to scoop up some fruit mince and the other to push the mince off the spoon into the pastry tart case. Not too much, mind, Hilda love,” she cautions. “When the fruit mince is hot, it will bubble and expand and we don’t want it overflowing from the cases whilst cooking in the oven.”
“No Mrs. W.!”
“Just fill the case up three quarters of the way.” Edith adds helpfully.
“Good girl, Edith love.” Ada says. “That’s it! Just so.”
Hilda takes up a heaped spoon of fruit mince.
“No, that’s too much, Hilda, love.” Ada remarks gently. “Shake a bit off back into the bowl.” She and Edith watch as Hilda does as she is told. “That’s better.” Ada nods. “Then fill the case three quarters up.”
They watch as Hilda gingerly moves the spoon low over one of the twelve empty sweet shortcrust pastry cases in the patty pan and pushes the mixture off it with the other spoon. The fruit mince falls into the bottom of the casing with a soft, satisfying splat, the mixture of sultanas, currants, raisins, glacé cherries, apple, orange rind, apple, sugar, spices, water and brandy oozing thickly as it settles into place.
“Good girl, Hilda love!” Ada says encouragingly, grasping the young girl’s shoulders and squeezing them. “That’s the ticket***********! Once you’ve filled this batch, we’ll pop them into the oven and we’ll make a second batch whilst they cook and then cool. You can cut out the casings and fill them.”
“Yes Mrs. W.” Hilda says proudly with a smile as she takes her spoons back to the gleaming, dark and glossy fruit mince in the white mixing bowl and scoops up some more.
“Good girl, Hilda love!” Ada says again. “That’s a more manageable amount of fruit mince.”
“Thanks awfully, Mrs. W.!” Hilda says with a smile as her face blanches at Ada’s praise.
Then, changing topic Ada asks. “So, are you going back to the Scottish Highlands or wherever for Christmas this year, Hilda love?”
“Oh Lady Lancraven’s house is in Shropshire, not the Scottish Highlands, Mrs. W.” Hilda replies as she begins to fill a second pastry casing.
“Well, wherever it is, are you going, Hilda love?”
“No, I’m not this year, Mrs. W., which means I won’t get to see my sister, which is a bit disappointing. But I’m going to spend Christmas Day with Mum at her house in Southall************ at least, so that will be nice.”
“What?” Edith pipes up. “No Lady Lancraven’s, this year?”
“That will be disappointing for your Mum and your sister, Hilda love.” Ada says consolingly. “You told us you all enjoyed being together so much, last Christmas.”
“Why aren’t you going this year, Hilda?” Edith persists.
“Well, the Channons have had a bit of a falling out with Mr. Channon’s parents, the Marquis and Marchioness of Taunton, just as of late.” Hilda explains.
“This is the first I’ve heard of it.” Edith replies.
“I should hope it would be, Edith love!” Ada chides her daughter, wagging a finger at her. “You know that gossiping unnecessarily about your employers will only lead to trouble.” She shakes her head. “There’s nothing worse than a gossiping maid, no matter how good her work is.”
“So, what happened?” Edith asks Hilda, ignoring her mother’s protestations.
“It’s all over the fact that Mrs. Channon still isn’t with child,” Hilda goes on, lowering her voice as if Margot and Dickie might overhear all the way over in Mayfair. “The Marquis and Marchioness are so anxious that Mr. and Mrs. Channon have a baby to carry on the family name, since Mr. Channon will be the next Marquis, and they have been married a few years.”
“Not everyone who wants a family is blessed with one, Hilda love.” Ada says softly.
“I know that Mrs. W.” Hilda replies. “It’s not me who needs convincing, but the snooty Marquiss and Marchioness. They want to send poor Mrs. Channon to a clinic of some kind in Switzerland or Germany, somewhere in the mountains, so she can be analysed and examined.”
“Prodded and poked, more like!” Edith opines.
“I think that’s what caused the fiercest argument between Mr. Channon and the Marquis. I heard Mr. Channon in the study, yelling down the telephone at the Marquis, and saying that he and Mrs. Channon wouldn’t spend Christmas with them at Lady Lancraven’s. Poor Mrs. Channon has been drinking so much lately to calm her nerves as whenever the Marchioness visits or telephones, which is often, she always asks her why she isn’t with child yet. The Marquiss has basically cut off Mr. Channon’s allowance until they produce a baby, and a boy at that, which added extra pressure to them both.”
“No wonder Mrs. Channon is drinking then.” Edith remarks.
“Oh dear! Poor Mr. and Mrs. Channon. How horrible for them! But if Mr. Channon has had his allowance cut off, how are the household bills being covered, and how are you getting paid, Hilda love?” Ada asks.
“You are getting paid, aren’t you Hilda?” Edith pipes up in concern.
“Luckily, my wages are paid me by Lord de Virre, Mrs. Channon’s dad,” Hilda explains. “And luckily for Mr. and Mrs. Channon, he has come to their aid too. He’s ever such a nice man, unlike the mean old Marquiss and Marchioness.”
“What’s he done?” Edith asks. “Lord de Virre, that is?”
“He’s arranging something called a provision for them.” Hilda says a little uncertainly.
“A provision?” Ada asks. “Whatever is that, Hilda love?”
“I’m not sure exactly, but I think it has something to do with him paying them an allowance instead of the Marquis and Marchioness, at least for now, as Mrs. Channon says that she will cover the household costs from her dad’s provision, so it must involve money in some way.”
“Well, that’s a relief!” Edith says. “At least you won’t be put in a position where you have to lie to the wine merchant, like that time when they owed him so much money for champagne and they pretended that they weren’t home, and you had to go along with it and put him off until Mrs. Channon had pawned some of her furs to get him the money.”
“That’s a terrible position to put you in, Hilda love!” Ada exclaims.
“Well, Mrs. Channon isn’t exactly the best at keeping a household budget at the best of times, Mrs. W., so it’s not the first time that’s happened.”
“I don’t know!” Ada shakes her head. “They have more money than we’ll ever have, yet I manage to balance my budget, and did when Edith and Bert were children, and with the costs of everything inflating during the war too!”
“Well anyway, that’s why I’m not going to Lady Lancraven’s this year, Mrs. W. It will be nice to spend it with my Mum at least, although I’ll miss seeing Emily. We both will. But we’ll make the best of it.”
“Course you will, Hilda love.” Ada wraps a consoling arm around her daughter’s best friend, and pulls her towards her rangy frame.
“Where are Mr. and Mrs. Channon going to spend their Christmas then?” Edith asks from her seat at the table.
“They are going to spend it with Lord and Lady de Virre in Hans Crescent here in London. Then they are going to go to their Cornish country house outside of Penzance for a few weeks after New Year’s Eve in London. Apparently, Mr. and Mrs. Carter are holding a lavish New Year’s Eve fancy dress ball in their Park Lane************* mansion before sailing off on the Mauretania************** to New York to spend the beginning of 1926.”
“Well, maybe we can spend a bit more time together over Christmas, Hilda, since neither your employers, nor mine, are going to be around to worry about.” Edith suggests.
“That would be nice, Edith. I’d like that.” Hilda smiles gratefully. “Anyway, that’s why I want the fruit mince pies you see, Mr. W., to take to Mum’s on Christmas Day. We don’t have much money between us – certainly not enough to afford the fare that the servants at lady Lancraven’s get – but we can at least have a lovely treat of some fruit mince pies after whatever we cobble together for Christmas tea for the two of us.”
“Then we best press on, Hilda love.” Ada says with a smile. “Or else you’ll have none for Christmas.”
“Yes Mrs. W.!” Hilda agrees enthusiastically.
*The Scarlet Woman is a 1924 silent comedy film directed by Terence Greenidge based on a scenario by British writer Evelyn Waugh. It is a satirical ecclesiastical melodrama about a Catholic plot to bring England back to the Catholic Church, which involves a scheme to convert the Prince of Wales and murder Protestants. The film, which Waugh also acted in, features Elsa Lanchester as a drug-addicted actress and was shot in locations including Oxford and Hampstead.
**The Willesden Empire Hippodrome Theatre was confusingly located in Harlesden, although it was not too far from Willesden Junction Railway Station in this west London inner city district. It was opened by Walter Gibbons as a music hall/variety theatre in September 1907. In 1908, the name was shortened to Willesden Hippodrome Theatre. Designed by noted theatre architect Frank Matcham, seating was provided for 864 in the orchestra stalls and pit, 517 in the circle and 602 in the gallery. It had a forty feet wide proscenium, a thirty feet deep stage and eight dressing rooms. It was taken over by Sydney Bernstein’s Granada Theatres Ltd. chain from the third of September 1927 and after some reconstruction was re-opened on the twelfth of September 1927 with a programme policy of cine/variety. From March 1928 it was managed by the Denman/Gaumont group, but was not successful and went back to live theatre use from 28th January 1929. It was closed in May 1930, and was taken over by Associated British Cinemas in August 1930. Now running films only, it operated as a cinema until September 1938. It then re-opened as a music hall/variety theatre, with films shown on Sundays, when live performances were prohibited. The Willesden Hippodrome Theatre was destroyed by German bombs in August/September 1940. The remains of the building stood on the High Street for many years, becoming an unofficial playground for local children, who trespassed onto the property. The remains were demolished in 1957.
***A patty pan is a baking pan with a grid of connected, individual cups or moulds used for baking individual portions of batter. It is also known as a muffin tin or cupcake pan and can be used for making muffins, cupcakes, pies or other small baked goods like savory egg cups or mini quiches. It was called a patty pan because it was originally used in the Eighteenth Century to make small meat-filled pastries known as pattys or pastys (today’s equivalent for pasties).
****The character Rupert Bear first appeared in the Daily Express on November the 8th, 1920, originally named Little Lost Bear. The character was created by illustrator Mary Tourtel, and Alfred Bestall took over the illustrations in 1935. The cartoon series continues to be published in the Daily Express. The character is also associated with the newspaper through the annual Rupert Annual, which has been published every year since 1936. Rupert has become such a British National Treasure that he has even had his own stamps before. Rupert Bear is part of children's culture in the United Kingdom, and there are four television shows based on the character.
*****Rupert Bear first appeared in the Daily Express on page seven, a place he then retained for many years, sob that readers became accustomed to finding him there.
******The parish of All Souls, Harlesden, was formed in 1875 from Willesden, Acton, St John's, Kensal Green, and Hammersmith. Mission services had been held by the curate of St Mary's, Willesden, at Harlesden institute from 1858. The parish church at Station Road, Harlesden, was built and consecrated in 1879. The town centre church is a remarkable brick octagon designed by E.J. Tarver. Originally there was a nave which was extended in 1890 but demolished in 1970.
*******The phrase "to take the rap" originates from the Eighteenth Century use of "rap" to mean a blow or punishment, and its Nineteenth Century slang use for a prison sentence. Therefore, "taking the rap" evolved to mean accepting a punishment or blame for something, be it a criminal charge or something far less serious in nature.
********Colclough Bone China was founded in Staffordshire in 1890 by Herbert J. Colclough, the former mayor of Stoke-on-Trent. Herbert loved porcelain and loved the ordinary working man. One of his desires was to bring fine bone china, a preserve of the upper and middle classes, to the working man. He felt that it would give them aspirations and dignity to eat off fine bone china. Colclough Bone China received a Royal Warrant from King George V in 1913. Colclough went on to innovate the production of fine bone china for the mass market in the 1920s and 1930s. They produced the backstamp brands Royal Vale and Royal Stanley. Colclough Bone China merged with Booth’s Pottery and later acquired Ridgeway China. Eventually they amalgamated with Royal Doulton in the 1970s.
*********A flea market is a type of market where vendors sell a variety of goods, typically second hand, handmade, or antique items. These markets are often outdoors, but can also be held indoors, and may operate on a weekly, seasonal, or annual basis. Shoppers can find everything from clothing and furniture to collectibles and curios at bargain prices.
**********Button back upholstered furniture contains buttons embedded in the back of the sofa or chair, which are pulled tightly against the leather creating a shallow dimple effect. This is sometimes known as button tufting.
***********The exact origin of "that's the ticket" is debated, but it likely comes from a few different places. It may have started as an allusion to a winning lottery ticket or a specific label for something that was perfect. Alternatively, it could be a corruption of the French phrase "c'est l'etiquette," meaning "that's the proper way" or "that's the label". In the 1820s, there was a related phrase, "that's the ticket for soup," which referred to a card that a beggar could use to receive immediate relief at a soup kitchen, and may also be where this phrase is derived from.
************Southall was a working-class suburb of London in the 1920s, characterised by its industrialisation and the influx of workers for manual labour jobs in the area's factories. Many factories were built in Southall, which led to significant population growth and its development into an urban area with a working-class demographic. By the end of the Nineteenth Century, Southall became a highly industrialized district with numerous factories. The Otto Monsted Margarine Works, one of the largest in Europe, was a key part of this industrial base. Workers, including a large number of Welsh and Irish steel workers escaping the harsh economic conditions of their origins, moved to Southall in the 1920s to find employment in the available heavy industry jobs.
*************Park Lane is a dual carriageway road in the City of Westminster in Central London. It is part of the London Inner Ring Road and runs from Hyde Park Corner in the south to Marble Arch in the north. It separates Hyde Park to the west from Mayfair to the east. The road was originally a simple country lane on the boundary of Hyde Park, separated by a brick wall. Aristocratic properties appeared during the late 18th century, including Breadalbane House, Somerset House, and Londonderry House. The road grew in popularity during the 19th century after improvements to Hyde Park Corner and more affordable views of the park, which attracted the nouveau riche to the street and led to it becoming one of the most fashionable roads to live on in London. Notable residents included the 1st Duke of Westminster's residence at Grosvenor House, the Dukes of Somerset at Somerset House, and the British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli at No. 93. Other historic properties include Dorchester House, Brook House and Dudley House. In the 20th century, Park Lane became well known for its luxury hotels, particularly The Dorchester, completed in 1931, which became closely associated with eminent writers and international film stars. Flats and shops began appearing on the road, including penthouse flats. Several buildings suffered damage during World War II, yet the road still attracted significant development, including the Park Lane Hotel and the London Hilton on Park Lane, and several sports car garages. A number of properties on the road today are owned by some of the wealthiest businessmen from the Middle East and Asia.
**************Built by Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson for the Cunard Line, the RMS Mauretania was launched in 1906 and began its first voyage in November 1907. It was designed with a new steam turbine engine and was the world's largest ship until 1910. The ship's impressive speed allowed it to capture the eastbound Blue Riband record in 1907 and the westbound record in 1909. It held both records for two decades, cementing its reputation for speed and elegance. he liner was also celebrated for its luxurious interiors, which featured elaborate designs with numerous types of wood, marble, and tapestries. It was nicknamed the "Grand Old Lady of the Atlantic". During World War I, the British Admiralty commissioned the Mauretania for military service. It was converted to a hospital ship and troopship and was equipped with guns, even sporting dazzle camouflage at one point. After the war, the Mauretania was returned to Cunard and resumed its passenger service. It was converted to burn oil and continued to operate for many years. n 1934, after the merger of Cunard and White Star, the liner was retired from service. It made its final voyage and was towed to Rosyth, Scotland, where it was scrapped in 1935.
This cluttered, yet cheerful domestic scene is not all it seems to be at first glance, for it is made up of part of my 1:12 size dollhouse miniatures collection. Some pieces come from my own childhood. Other items I acquired as an adult through specialist online dealers and artists who specialise in 1:12 miniatures.
Fun things to look for in this tableau include:
Ada’s kitchen table is covered with things in preparation for her Christmas fruit mince pies.
The wooden board the table with the floured rolling pin, the rolled out pastry and the biscuit cutter are artisan miniature pieces made by an unknown artist, which I acquired through Kathleen Knight’s Doll’s House Shop in the United Kingdom. The patty pan of casings also comes from there, as does the teapot shaped floral spoon rest and enamel ended spoon sitting in front of the board. The battered flour cannister, painted in the typical domestic Art Deco design and kitchen colours of the 1920s, cream and green, also comes from Kathleen Knight’s Doll’s House Shop. The bowl of very realistic looking fruit mince comes from former chef turned miniature artisan, Frances Knight. Her work is incredibly detailed and realistic, and she says that she draws her inspiration from her years as a chef and her imagination.
In the foreground on the table are non-matching teacups, saucers and sugar bowl, all of which have come from different miniature stockists both in Australia and the United Kingdom. The Brown Betty teapot came from The Dolls House Shop in the United Kingdom.
Edith’s handbag, handmade from soft leather, is part of a larger collection of hats and bags that I bought from an American miniature collector Marilyn Bickel, including Ada’s tan soft leather handbag seen resting against her basket at the right of the picture.
Edith’s black dyed straw hat with purple roses and black feathers was made by an unknown artisan. 1:12 size miniature hats made to such exacting standards of quality and realism are often far more expensive than real hats are. When you think that it would sit comfortably on the tip of your index finger, yet it could cost in excess of $150.00 or £100.00, it is an extravagance. American artists seem to have the monopoly on this skill and some of the hats that I have seen or acquired over the years are remarkable. This hat is part of a larger collection I bought from an American miniature collector Marilyn Bickel.
In the background you can see Ada’s dark Welsh dresser cluttered with household items. Like Ada’s table and the ladderback chair, I have had the dresser since I was a child. The shelves of the dresser have different patterned crockery which have come from different miniature stockists both in Australia and the United Kingdom. The rather worn and beaten looking enamelled cannisters and bread bin are painted in the typical domestic Art Deco design and kitchen colours of the 1920s, cream and green. Aged on purpose, these artisan pieces also came from Kathleen Knight’s Dolls’ House Shop. There are also tins of various foods which would have been household staples in the 1920s when canning and preservation revolutionised domestic cookery. Amongst other foods on the dresser are a jar of Marmite, a box of Bisto Gravy Powder, an Oxo stock cube and a box of Ty-Phoo Tea which were made by Little Things Dollhouse Miniatures in Lancashire.
Marmite is a food spread made from yeast extract which although considered remarkably English, was in fact invented by German scientist Justus von Liebig although it was originally made in the United Kingdom. It is a by-product of beer brewing and is currently produced by British company Unilever. The product is notable as a vegan source of B vitamins, including supplemental vitamin B. Marmite is a sticky, dark brown paste with a distinctive, salty, powerful flavour. This distinctive taste is represented in the marketing slogan: "Love it or hate it." Such is its prominence in British popular culture that the product's name is often used as a metaphor for something that is an acquired taste or tends to polarise opinion.
The first Bisto product, in 1908, was a meat-flavoured gravy powder, which rapidly became a bestseller in Britain. It was added to gravies to give a richer taste and aroma. Invented by Messrs Roberts and Patterson, it was named "Bisto" because it "Browns, Seasons and Thickens in One". Bisto Gravy is still a household name in Britain and Ireland today, and the brand is currently owned by Premier Foods.
Oxo is a brand of food products, including stock cubes, herbs and spices, dried gravy, and yeast extract. The original product was the beef stock cube, and the company now also markets chicken and other flavour cubes, including versions with Chinese and Indian spices. The cubes are broken up and used as flavouring in meals or gravy or dissolved into boiling water to produce a bouillon. Oxo produced their first cubes in 1910 and further increased Oxo's popularity.
In 1863, William Sumner published A Popular Treatise on Tea as a by-product of the first trade missions to China from London. In 1870, William and his son John Sumner founded a pharmacy/grocery business in Birmingham. William's grandson, John Sumner Jr. (born in 1856), took over the running of the business in the 1900s. Following comments from his sister on the calming effects of tea fannings, in 1903, John Jr. decided to create a new tea that he could sell in his shop. He set his own criteria for the new brand. The name had to be distinctive and unlike others, it had to be a name that would trip off the tongue and it had to be one that would be protected by registration. The name Typhoo comes from the Mandarin Chinese word for “doctor”. Typhoo began making tea bags in 1967. In 1978, production was moved from Birmingham to Moreton on the Wirral Peninsula, in Merseyside. The Moreton site is also the location of Burton's Foods and Manor Bakeries factories. Typhoo has been owned since July 2021 by British private-equity firm Zetland Capital. It was previously owned by Apeejay Surrendra Group of India.
The large kitchen range in the background is a 1:12 miniature replica of the coal fed Phoenix Kitchen Range. A mid-Victorian model, it has hinged opening doors, hanging bars above the stove and a little bass hot water tap (used in the days before plumbed hot water).
"♫♫♫♫♫" - Études (12) for piano : Chopin performed by Murray Perahia
What no selfy today? I figured we've got the whole year for you to look at my ugly mug that I'd throw in some product work into my 365 stream for some variety along the way.
What we're looking at here is a matcha green tea & coconut flavored tea cake produced by a local baker in the area that needed some product work done.
Funny thing about today's shoot: while I was plating the cakes I accidentally took out a piece of it. Good thing I always require stunt doubles so I took part of one and combined it with the other to produce a whole piece. Worked out great because it blended in with the bokeh.
We won't tell the pastry chef, it will be our little sekret.
And yes, I listen to other genre of music besides rap.
Strobist info: 430EX 1/32 softbox camera left | Triggered by 580EX II on camera
Camera info: Canon EOS 1D Mark III | Canon EF 50mm ƒ/1.2L USM | 1/300 ƒ/2.5 ISO 100
Explore January 14, 2010
We shall see!
Out at Revs and Relics to wish them Happy New Year..
Toasted teacake and a cappuccino too..
13 degrees plus out here at moment!
I used to use this tea pot to pour hot Pu-erh tea. 2-3 times in a week. Try it, you will like it.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pu-erh_tea
Exposure: 0.3
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 55 mm
ISO Speed: 100
using tripod
I see a city aflame, its heart burning red and amber, its people the blackened coals that fuel the embers. I see a riot that is uncalmed and a man misunderstood. I see capes - costumes - the uniforms of the brave, the confused, and those in danger.
I didn't expect anything like this when I set out this evening, but when I saw the door I saw the photo in my mind and couldn't resist. I took it quickly before anyone came by. There was someone who passed me as I was crouching in the woods who was intimidating; it's times like those I don't like being by myself. But the woods are usually safe.
I spent today with Hannah, catching up and talking about friends and familiarity for the first time since Christmas. We ate a very English breakfast of scones and teacakes and tea in Stokes, and shopped.
Booking commissions for this summer. If you want a shoot (based in the UK), let me know at louiseanna@live.co.uk.
PS. the offer still stands of a free action/curve giveaway at 500 likes of my facebook page!
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/n/newportwetlands/index.as...
This nature reserve offers a haven for wildlife on the edge of the city, but is a great place for people too with a new RSPB visitor centre, a café, shop and children's play area.
Cetti's warblers and bearded tits can be seen and heard in the reedbeds, and ducks, geese and swans visit the reserve in large numbers during the winter. You'll enjoy spectacular views of the Severn estuary all year round.
Newport Wetlands is a partnership between Natural Resources Wales, Newport City Council and the RSPB.
Opening times
Open every day (closed Christmas Day), 9 am to 5 pm (Coffee Shop open 10 am to 4 pm). On Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, the centre will be open from 10 am to 4 pm and the coffee shop will be open 10 am to 3.30 pm. Please note that the carpark also closes at 5:30pm.
Entrance charges
None
If you are new to birdwatching...
Autumn/winter is the best time of year for birdwatching at Newport Wetlands when migratory wildfowl and wading birds begin to arrive ready for their winter stay.
Information for families
Newport Wetlands visitor centre is ideal for children and families. Guided walks and children's activities are available on the reserve, drinks and a bite to eat can be enjoyed in the coffee shop afterwards, followed by a browse in the retail area. Children will find the outdoor children's activity area with its 4 m high simulation of the East Usk Lighthouse very entertaining. We can offer a variety of fun environmental activity and exploration days for a wide range of local interest groups.
Information for dog owners
Some access for dogs - marked footpaths on perimeter of reserve. For more information, please contact the NRW enquiry line.
Star species
Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.
Bearded tit
You will often hear bearded tits before you see them. Listen for their bell-like 'pinging' calls, then watch them whizzing across the tops of the reeds. They perch up on the stems in calm weather and feed on fallen seeds on the mud at the base of the reeds.
Dunlin
Dunlins can be seen at Newport Wetlands at almost any time. They breed further north, including in the Arctic, but migrating birds pass through in spring and autumn and some also spend winter here. Watch for them probing their beaks into the mud as they feed.
Little egret
These dainty little white herons can be seen throughout the year at Newport. You can see them fishing, stirring up fish fry from the muddy bottom with their feet.
Little grebe
Listen for little grebes 'whinnying' in spring as part of their courtship displays. They are small, round birds, and remarkably buoyant despite their fluffy feathers.
Shoveler
Shovelers are commonest here in winter, but are also a regular breeding bird. Watch them using their beaks like sieves to sift out microscopic aquatic life from the water.
Seasonal highlights
Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.
Spring
Spring is the start of the breeding season and is an active and exciting time of year at Newport Wetlands, as birds set about finding their mates and building nests. Breeding waders at the reserve include lapwings and oystercatchers. Bearded tits begin to nest in the reedbeds. During late April and early May, swallows and swifts begin arriving from Africa, and can be seen flying overhead. This is a great time of year to listen out for the distinctive call of the cuckoo and many plants, including orchids, will begin to burst into colourful flower.
Summer
Grass snakes can sometimes be seen soaking up the sun or skimming expertly through the water among the reeds. Around sixteen species of dragonflies, twenty-three species of butterfly and two hundred species of moth are found at Newport Wetlands. After dark is the best time for moth spotting, but visitors are likely to see species like cinnabar moths and scarlet tiger moths during the daytime. The reserve is also home to badgers, moles and wood mice. Otters live here too, but are notoriously shy of humans and can be difficult to spot. Their droppings, or ‘spraint’, are the most commonly spotted clue to their presence.
Autumn
In autumn, the reeds turn from a vibrant lush green to yellowing brown. Groups of goldfinches can be seen flitting around the reserve and are particularly visible along Perry Lane, using their long beaks to extract seeds from the teasels. Autumn is another extremely active season at Newport Wetlands, as migratory wildfowl and wading birds begin to arrive ready for their winter stay. Curlews, redshanks, dunlins and oystercatchers feed on the estuary at low tide using their long, pointy beaks to sift through the nutritious mud for worms and grubs.
Winter
The starling roost at the reserve is a not-to-be-missed wildlife experience. From October onwards, large groups of starlings gather at dusk in great black clouds. At its peak, around 50,000 birds swoop and soar overhead, chattering noisily. After a breathtaking display, the birds drop dramatically into the reedbeds where they settle for the night. Another winter treat at Newport Wetlands is a single bittern, which has been seen here most winters since 2001. Bitterns are rare and extremely secretive, moving silently through the reeds looking for fish. Parts of the reserve provide a winter home for nationally important numbers of black-tailed godwits, shovelers and dunlins.
Facilities
Information centre
Car park
Toilets
Disabled toilets
Baby-changing facilities
Group bookings accepted
Guided walks available
Good for walking
Pushchair friendly
Viewing points
Viewing screens are available.
Nature trails
There are a number of nature trails around the reserve of various lengths with easy accessibility for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Tearoom
Coffee shop serving triple-certified organic Fairtrade coffee, fairtrade tea, Fairtrade hot chocolate, and a selection of organic cold drinks, sandwiches, baguettes, locally-produced cakes and cookies.
Refreshments available
Hot drinks
Cold drinks
Snacks
Confectionery
Shop
A retail outlet for all your bird food and bird care accessories with a wide selection of binoculars and telescopes. There is also a fantastic selection of gifts and children's items.
The shop stocks:
Binoculars and telescopes
Bird food
Bird feeders
Gifts
Cafe
Our cafe in the visitor centre has large, panoramic windows overlooking the reserve and surrounding countryside. There is a large outdoor decking area providing additional seating with the same relaxing views. We provide organic Fairtrade tea and hot chocolate, and locally-produced cakes and ice cream.
We serve our own exclusive coffee that is grown, imported and roasted by us. It's Fairtrade, organic and certified bird-friendly by the Smithsonian Institute, so now you can help save nature simply by enjoying a great cup of coffee!
We are proud to hold a Level 5 Food Hygiene rating enabling our customers to have full confidence in the food and service that we provide.
Opening hours
10 am to 4 pm daily (closed Christmas Day)
Highlights from our menu
Triple-certified coffee including cappuccinos, lattes and Americanos, all freshly-made
We are known for our Bara Brith, Welsh cakes and hot toasted teacakes
From autumn through to spring we sell steaming tasty soups which are gluten-free
We provide a variety of sandwiches and rolls made with bread from a family baker
Pole-and-line-caught skipjack tuna is used to fill delicious sandwiches or rolls
Good variety of sandwiches and cakes. Coffee excellent
Access to the cafe
The coffee shop is in the visitor centre which has wheelchair-friendly ramps into the centre and out onto the reserve.
Children welcome
There are highchairs for babies and toddlers. We provide children's lunchboxes containing a sandwich, two-finger Kitkat, apple or orange juice and a choice of wildlife face mask.
We use local ingredients
We use Welsh meats, cheeses and free-range organic eggs.
Dietary requirements
We sell vegetarian and vegan food, some wheat-free snacks and soup, and some organic food.
Accessibility
8 August 2013
This is a Summary Access Statement. A full access statement is available to download from this page.
Before you visit
Clear print site leaflet available from reception
Visitor Centre open 9 am to 5 pm daily, except Christmas Day. coffee shop open 10 am to 4 pm
Entry to the reserve is free of charge
Car park open 8.30 am to 5.30 pm daily
Three mobility scooters and two wheelchairs available to hire out free of charge. Telephone for details
Registered assistance dogs welcome (please do not be offended if we ask for evidence of registration)
A dog walking route map is available from the visitor centre. Tethering rings and drinking bowl at the visitor centre entrance
Check events and activities for accessibility,
How to get here
Newport Railway Station (5 miles/8 km). Taxis usually available
Bus stop in the reserve car park, Number 63
Car parking
Free parking, 180 m/197 yds from the visitor centre
10 blue badge spaces
85 parking spaces
Drop-off at visitor centre arranged by telephone 01633 636363
Tarmac surface, path to visitor centre compacted limestone chippings and dust
Visitor centre and shop
Entrance by wooden walkway with a maximum gradient of 1:40. Manually operated doors. Non-slip tiled surface. Low section on service counter. Hearing loop system is installed at the service counter and in the education rooms. Good natural and artificial lighting. Staff can give assistance and read out any literature if required. Binoculars are available for hire (£3.50 for the day).
Nature trails
Four main trails. All level on compacted with one incline using a zig-zag. Floating walkways have been used by wheelchairs, scooters and pushchairs but caution should be taken due to buoyancy.
Viewing facilities
Natural viewing opportunities throughout the reserve. A wheelchair accessible viewing screens overlooking the reedbeds.
Toilets
Unisex accessible toilet along with separate ladies and gents available on ground floor of Visitor Centre. Level step free access. Baby changing table and a second baby facility in ladies toilets.
Catering
Step-free level access. Outside deck viewing area. Tables are well spaced apart. Good natural and overhead lighting. Non slip tiles. Accessible WC in the visitor centre.
Shop
Shop is located in the visitor centre. Level entry step free with no doors. There is step free, level access throughout. Non-slip tiled surface. Ample room. Well lit with daylight and fluorescent lighting. Promotional video usually playing with subtitles. Staff can provide assistance.
Classrooms
Two classrooms available as one room if required. Step-free, level access throughout. Non-slip flooring. Artificial even lighting. Portable hearing loop system available. Two raised ponds nearby.
Picnic area
Four picnic tables with wheelchair access outside visitor centre. Visitors free to bring their own refreshments for picnics.
Help us improve accessibility by sending feedback to the Site Manager.
For more information
Newport Wetlands
E-mail: newport-wetlands@rspb.org.uk
Telephone:01633 636363
How to get here
By bicycle (Sustrans cycle route)
Sustrans National Cycle Network route 4 has a branch to Newport Wetlands using existing roads. The car park has a covered cycle stand. Please note that cycling on the reserve is restricted to a designated route.
By train
The nearest railway station is Newport - which is five miles from the reserve. There is a taxi rank at the station and Newport bus station is just a few minutes walk away. For train times to and from Newport visit www.nationalrail.co.uk or telephone 08457 484950.
By bus
From the Kingsway Bus Station in Newport, the Number 63 bus leaves at 7.30 am, 9 am, 11 am, 1.30 pm, 3 pm, 4.50 pm and 6 pm and stops at the bus stop in the reserve car park. Alternatively, contact Newport Bus 01633 670563.
By road
Join the A48 at either junction 24 or 28 of the M4. Follow the A48 until you come to the Spytty Retail Park roundabout. Exit onto the A4810 Queensway Meadows. At the first roundabout take the third exit onto Meadows Road and follow the brown tourist signs to the reserve.
Our partners
The Newport Wetlands project is funded by the European Union's Objective Two programme supported by the Welsh Assembly Government and secured via the Newport European Partnership, Newport City Council's allocation of the Welsh Assembly Government's Local Regeneration Fund, Newport City Council's Landfill Tax Credit Scheme, the Environment Agency Wales and Visit Wales – the Department of Enterprise, Innovation and Networks.
Natural Resources Wales, Newport City Council and the RSPB would like to thank the communities of Newport and the volunteers who have supported Newport Wetlands.
Newport Wetlands Conference and Meeting Rooms
Set in the tranquil surroundings of a peaceful nature reserve, our excellent conference facilities offer a superb location for a great getaway from the office and provide a wonderful setting for a variety of corporate events. You will receive a warm welcome from the staff at the Visitor Centre, providing a professional and efficient service.
We can provide facilities for the following
Conferences
Board Meetings
Seminars
Training Courses
Presentations
Away days
Rooms can be arranged in boardroom, theatre style or in any other format to suit your event. We also have a range of equipment for hire including a digital projector and smart board facilities.
Your booking fee includes free car parking, access to the Reserve as well as the Visitor Centre, Shop and Café. The Reserve comprises of a series of lagoons and reed beds from reclaimed industrial land, which is now home to a wealth of wildlife.
A tour of the Reserve can be arranged as an unusual and revitalising break during a meeting or away day.
Catering
Fairtrade coffee and tea, biscuits or homemade cakes can be served throughout the day, and we can provide a freshly prepared buffet to suit your dietary requirements including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. Buffets include a selection of classic sandwiches, a selection of savoury items, fresh fruit and a selection of freshly baked homemade cakes.
Alternatively, delegates can stroll across to the café themselves and appreciate inspirational views of the reserve from the veranda.
The Lakeside Suite
A purpose built meeting room, which caters for 12 people boardroom style or 25 people theatre style.
The Education Facilities
Set in a tranquil environment, overlooking the waters edge the Education Rooms offers the perfect environment for larger events and conferences. The room can be organised in various styles and caters for up to 80 people theatre style.
For more information or to make a provisional booking, please contact Adrianne Jones using the details below.
For more information
Adrianne Jones
Centre Co-ordinator
E-mail: adrianne.jones@rspb.org.uk
Telephone:01633 636355
My partner and I are born one day (and several years) apart, so it was our birthdays last Tuesday (his) and Wednesday (mine).
For his birthday, I baked a small French Lemon cake. The cake recipe is a very old one, given to my Great-Grandmother by her cook before she left service and retired in the 1960s. The recipes were probably written down by her when she entered service in the 1920s, and she probably learned them from the cook whom she was apprenticed to. My Great-Grandmother\'s cook gave my Great-Grandmother, who had never cooked a meal in her life, a hand written cookbook of her “never fail recipes”. Whilst my Great-Grandmother employed another cook and never cooked a meal throughout the remainder of her very long life, she did cherish the cookbook, which was passed to my Grandmother, who rarely cooked herself. She in turn passed the cookbook to me, and I do enjoy cooking many of the delightful recipes from it. These include the French Lemon cake.
A friend of ours is a paper artist and she makes her own cards out of recycled paper. It’s amazing what she uses: wrapping paper, junk mail catalogues, unwanted birthday and Christmas cards, tissue boxes, gift bags. She gave us each a beautiful homemade card each. This card is mine: given to me by her to sing me a happy birthday since she is not in good voice at present, with a rather nasty head cold.
This year the FFF+ Group have decided to have a weekly challenge called “Snap Happy”. A different theme chosen by a member of the group each week, and the image is to be posted on the Monday of the week.
This week the theme, “homemade” was chosen by Laszlo, Laszlo Papinot.
I thought these homemade tributes to our birthdays suited the theme well.
On a day when the rain was torrential as I drove to Amberley for a walk before the camera club coffee morning, it did ease off enough for a short walk in full waterproofs and wellies.
The Canon stayed in my rucksack under a waterproof cover, but the tea and toasted teacake were welcome afterwards!
This particular incarnation of Houghton Bridge has been here since 1875, but a crossing has existed for centuries to allow the Bishops of Chichester to travel to their palace at Amberley Castle.
the annoyance of wasps while eating in summer can be easily avoided by just sharing a bit of your food!
i gave this little fella a current from a toasted teacake and in return he let me take his portrait as he tucked into it
hope everyone had a great weekend x
(PLEASE NO AWARDS OR PICTURES OR FLASHY BADGES)
Today my flickr account turns 1 year old. What an exciting flickr year its been. At first I was reluctant to join, thinking my photos aren't worth to be shown along with all the awesome work on this site. Over the year I've learned that there is so much more to flickr than sharing the images we've captured. It's also about learning from each other. It's about encouraging one another. It's about inspiring each other to improve our skills, what ever our skill levels are.
To all my friends and contacts, thank you from the very bottom of my heart for the supports I have been showered with. Your visits and comments have made my exploration of photography so much fun.
Cupcakes provided by TeaCake Bake Shop, Emeryville, California
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/n/newportwetlands/index.as...
This nature reserve offers a haven for wildlife on the edge of the city, but is a great place for people too with a new RSPB visitor centre, a café, shop and children's play area.
Cetti's warblers and bearded tits can be seen and heard in the reedbeds, and ducks, geese and swans visit the reserve in large numbers during the winter. You'll enjoy spectacular views of the Severn estuary all year round.
Newport Wetlands is a partnership between Natural Resources Wales, Newport City Council and the RSPB.
Opening times
Open every day (closed Christmas Day), 9 am to 5 pm (Coffee Shop open 10 am to 4 pm). On Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, the centre will be open from 10 am to 4 pm and the coffee shop will be open 10 am to 3.30 pm. Please note that the carpark also closes at 5:30pm.
Entrance charges
None
If you are new to birdwatching...
Autumn/winter is the best time of year for birdwatching at Newport Wetlands when migratory wildfowl and wading birds begin to arrive ready for their winter stay.
Information for families
Newport Wetlands visitor centre is ideal for children and families. Guided walks and children's activities are available on the reserve, drinks and a bite to eat can be enjoyed in the coffee shop afterwards, followed by a browse in the retail area. Children will find the outdoor children's activity area with its 4 m high simulation of the East Usk Lighthouse very entertaining. We can offer a variety of fun environmental activity and exploration days for a wide range of local interest groups.
Information for dog owners
Some access for dogs - marked footpaths on perimeter of reserve. For more information, please contact the NRW enquiry line.
Star species
Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.
Bearded tit
You will often hear bearded tits before you see them. Listen for their bell-like 'pinging' calls, then watch them whizzing across the tops of the reeds. They perch up on the stems in calm weather and feed on fallen seeds on the mud at the base of the reeds.
Dunlin
Dunlins can be seen at Newport Wetlands at almost any time. They breed further north, including in the Arctic, but migrating birds pass through in spring and autumn and some also spend winter here. Watch for them probing their beaks into the mud as they feed.
Little egret
These dainty little white herons can be seen throughout the year at Newport. You can see them fishing, stirring up fish fry from the muddy bottom with their feet.
Little grebe
Listen for little grebes 'whinnying' in spring as part of their courtship displays. They are small, round birds, and remarkably buoyant despite their fluffy feathers.
Shoveler
Shovelers are commonest here in winter, but are also a regular breeding bird. Watch them using their beaks like sieves to sift out microscopic aquatic life from the water.
Seasonal highlights
Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.
Spring
Spring is the start of the breeding season and is an active and exciting time of year at Newport Wetlands, as birds set about finding their mates and building nests. Breeding waders at the reserve include lapwings and oystercatchers. Bearded tits begin to nest in the reedbeds. During late April and early May, swallows and swifts begin arriving from Africa, and can be seen flying overhead. This is a great time of year to listen out for the distinctive call of the cuckoo and many plants, including orchids, will begin to burst into colourful flower.
Summer
Grass snakes can sometimes be seen soaking up the sun or skimming expertly through the water among the reeds. Around sixteen species of dragonflies, twenty-three species of butterfly and two hundred species of moth are found at Newport Wetlands. After dark is the best time for moth spotting, but visitors are likely to see species like cinnabar moths and scarlet tiger moths during the daytime. The reserve is also home to badgers, moles and wood mice. Otters live here too, but are notoriously shy of humans and can be difficult to spot. Their droppings, or ‘spraint’, are the most commonly spotted clue to their presence.
Autumn
In autumn, the reeds turn from a vibrant lush green to yellowing brown. Groups of goldfinches can be seen flitting around the reserve and are particularly visible along Perry Lane, using their long beaks to extract seeds from the teasels. Autumn is another extremely active season at Newport Wetlands, as migratory wildfowl and wading birds begin to arrive ready for their winter stay. Curlews, redshanks, dunlins and oystercatchers feed on the estuary at low tide using their long, pointy beaks to sift through the nutritious mud for worms and grubs.
Winter
The starling roost at the reserve is a not-to-be-missed wildlife experience. From October onwards, large groups of starlings gather at dusk in great black clouds. At its peak, around 50,000 birds swoop and soar overhead, chattering noisily. After a breathtaking display, the birds drop dramatically into the reedbeds where they settle for the night. Another winter treat at Newport Wetlands is a single bittern, which has been seen here most winters since 2001. Bitterns are rare and extremely secretive, moving silently through the reeds looking for fish. Parts of the reserve provide a winter home for nationally important numbers of black-tailed godwits, shovelers and dunlins.
Facilities
Information centre
Car park
Toilets
Disabled toilets
Baby-changing facilities
Group bookings accepted
Guided walks available
Good for walking
Pushchair friendly
Viewing points
Viewing screens are available.
Nature trails
There are a number of nature trails around the reserve of various lengths with easy accessibility for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Tearoom
Coffee shop serving triple-certified organic Fairtrade coffee, fairtrade tea, Fairtrade hot chocolate, and a selection of organic cold drinks, sandwiches, baguettes, locally-produced cakes and cookies.
Refreshments available
Hot drinks
Cold drinks
Snacks
Confectionery
Shop
A retail outlet for all your bird food and bird care accessories with a wide selection of binoculars and telescopes. There is also a fantastic selection of gifts and children's items.
The shop stocks:
Binoculars and telescopes
Bird food
Bird feeders
Gifts
Cafe
Our cafe in the visitor centre has large, panoramic windows overlooking the reserve and surrounding countryside. There is a large outdoor decking area providing additional seating with the same relaxing views. We provide organic Fairtrade tea and hot chocolate, and locally-produced cakes and ice cream.
We serve our own exclusive coffee that is grown, imported and roasted by us. It's Fairtrade, organic and certified bird-friendly by the Smithsonian Institute, so now you can help save nature simply by enjoying a great cup of coffee!
We are proud to hold a Level 5 Food Hygiene rating enabling our customers to have full confidence in the food and service that we provide.
Opening hours
10 am to 4 pm daily (closed Christmas Day)
Highlights from our menu
Triple-certified coffee including cappuccinos, lattes and Americanos, all freshly-made
We are known for our Bara Brith, Welsh cakes and hot toasted teacakes
From autumn through to spring we sell steaming tasty soups which are gluten-free
We provide a variety of sandwiches and rolls made with bread from a family baker
Pole-and-line-caught skipjack tuna is used to fill delicious sandwiches or rolls
Good variety of sandwiches and cakes. Coffee excellent
Access to the cafe
The coffee shop is in the visitor centre which has wheelchair-friendly ramps into the centre and out onto the reserve.
Children welcome
There are highchairs for babies and toddlers. We provide children's lunchboxes containing a sandwich, two-finger Kitkat, apple or orange juice and a choice of wildlife face mask.
We use local ingredients
We use Welsh meats, cheeses and free-range organic eggs.
Dietary requirements
We sell vegetarian and vegan food, some wheat-free snacks and soup, and some organic food.
Accessibility
8 August 2013
This is a Summary Access Statement. A full access statement is available to download from this page.
Before you visit
Clear print site leaflet available from reception
Visitor Centre open 9 am to 5 pm daily, except Christmas Day. coffee shop open 10 am to 4 pm
Entry to the reserve is free of charge
Car park open 8.30 am to 5.30 pm daily
Three mobility scooters and two wheelchairs available to hire out free of charge. Telephone for details
Registered assistance dogs welcome (please do not be offended if we ask for evidence of registration)
A dog walking route map is available from the visitor centre. Tethering rings and drinking bowl at the visitor centre entrance
Check events and activities for accessibility,
How to get here
Newport Railway Station (5 miles/8 km). Taxis usually available
Bus stop in the reserve car park, Number 63
Car parking
Free parking, 180 m/197 yds from the visitor centre
10 blue badge spaces
85 parking spaces
Drop-off at visitor centre arranged by telephone 01633 636363
Tarmac surface, path to visitor centre compacted limestone chippings and dust
Visitor centre and shop
Entrance by wooden walkway with a maximum gradient of 1:40. Manually operated doors. Non-slip tiled surface. Low section on service counter. Hearing loop system is installed at the service counter and in the education rooms. Good natural and artificial lighting. Staff can give assistance and read out any literature if required. Binoculars are available for hire (£3.50 for the day).
Nature trails
Four main trails. All level on compacted with one incline using a zig-zag. Floating walkways have been used by wheelchairs, scooters and pushchairs but caution should be taken due to buoyancy.
Viewing facilities
Natural viewing opportunities throughout the reserve. A wheelchair accessible viewing screens overlooking the reedbeds.
Toilets
Unisex accessible toilet along with separate ladies and gents available on ground floor of Visitor Centre. Level step free access. Baby changing table and a second baby facility in ladies toilets.
Catering
Step-free level access. Outside deck viewing area. Tables are well spaced apart. Good natural and overhead lighting. Non slip tiles. Accessible WC in the visitor centre.
Shop
Shop is located in the visitor centre. Level entry step free with no doors. There is step free, level access throughout. Non-slip tiled surface. Ample room. Well lit with daylight and fluorescent lighting. Promotional video usually playing with subtitles. Staff can provide assistance.
Classrooms
Two classrooms available as one room if required. Step-free, level access throughout. Non-slip flooring. Artificial even lighting. Portable hearing loop system available. Two raised ponds nearby.
Picnic area
Four picnic tables with wheelchair access outside visitor centre. Visitors free to bring their own refreshments for picnics.
Help us improve accessibility by sending feedback to the Site Manager.
For more information
Newport Wetlands
E-mail: newport-wetlands@rspb.org.uk
Telephone:01633 636363
How to get here
By bicycle (Sustrans cycle route)
Sustrans National Cycle Network route 4 has a branch to Newport Wetlands using existing roads. The car park has a covered cycle stand. Please note that cycling on the reserve is restricted to a designated route.
By train
The nearest railway station is Newport - which is five miles from the reserve. There is a taxi rank at the station and Newport bus station is just a few minutes walk away. For train times to and from Newport visit www.nationalrail.co.uk or telephone 08457 484950.
By bus
From the Kingsway Bus Station in Newport, the Number 63 bus leaves at 7.30 am, 9 am, 11 am, 1.30 pm, 3 pm, 4.50 pm and 6 pm and stops at the bus stop in the reserve car park. Alternatively, contact Newport Bus 01633 670563.
By road
Join the A48 at either junction 24 or 28 of the M4. Follow the A48 until you come to the Spytty Retail Park roundabout. Exit onto the A4810 Queensway Meadows. At the first roundabout take the third exit onto Meadows Road and follow the brown tourist signs to the reserve.
Our partners
The Newport Wetlands project is funded by the European Union's Objective Two programme supported by the Welsh Assembly Government and secured via the Newport European Partnership, Newport City Council's allocation of the Welsh Assembly Government's Local Regeneration Fund, Newport City Council's Landfill Tax Credit Scheme, the Environment Agency Wales and Visit Wales – the Department of Enterprise, Innovation and Networks.
Natural Resources Wales, Newport City Council and the RSPB would like to thank the communities of Newport and the volunteers who have supported Newport Wetlands.
Newport Wetlands Conference and Meeting Rooms
Set in the tranquil surroundings of a peaceful nature reserve, our excellent conference facilities offer a superb location for a great getaway from the office and provide a wonderful setting for a variety of corporate events. You will receive a warm welcome from the staff at the Visitor Centre, providing a professional and efficient service.
We can provide facilities for the following
Conferences
Board Meetings
Seminars
Training Courses
Presentations
Away days
Rooms can be arranged in boardroom, theatre style or in any other format to suit your event. We also have a range of equipment for hire including a digital projector and smart board facilities.
Your booking fee includes free car parking, access to the Reserve as well as the Visitor Centre, Shop and Café. The Reserve comprises of a series of lagoons and reed beds from reclaimed industrial land, which is now home to a wealth of wildlife.
A tour of the Reserve can be arranged as an unusual and revitalising break during a meeting or away day.
Catering
Fairtrade coffee and tea, biscuits or homemade cakes can be served throughout the day, and we can provide a freshly prepared buffet to suit your dietary requirements including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. Buffets include a selection of classic sandwiches, a selection of savoury items, fresh fruit and a selection of freshly baked homemade cakes.
Alternatively, delegates can stroll across to the café themselves and appreciate inspirational views of the reserve from the veranda.
The Lakeside Suite
A purpose built meeting room, which caters for 12 people boardroom style or 25 people theatre style.
The Education Facilities
Set in a tranquil environment, overlooking the waters edge the Education Rooms offers the perfect environment for larger events and conferences. The room can be organised in various styles and caters for up to 80 people theatre style.
For more information or to make a provisional booking, please contact Adrianne Jones using the details below.
For more information
Adrianne Jones
Centre Co-ordinator
E-mail: adrianne.jones@rspb.org.uk
Telephone:01633 636355