Matson, a fine view of Painswick

Dear old Matson is just on the edge of Gloucester and has a fine view of the Painswick hills, it has a reputation as a tough area but it also has a strong community spirit. I had a good friend who used to live there and he loved it. This is another in my series of the real meaning of Gloucestershire place names which I’m hoping to make into a very small book entitled “Glossary: the real meaning of Gloucestershire place names”. Available quite soon which you’ll be able to purchase for a very small amount. Matson Poor carpentry/DIY One … Continue reading Matson, a fine view of Painswick

Maisemore

Maisemore A daisy chain worn and made by small girls that they make on bright blue summer days for each other. Boys are naturally excluded from this activity. Mothers marvel at their offspring’s dexterity to make them when normally at home they can barely get food into their mouths or tie a shoelace. They forgive them everything as they exclaim: “ Oh look, she’s made a maismore” Maisemore is actually on the edge of the City of Gloucester and is a relatively small village close to the River Severn. It’s prone to flooding, but I’m sure there are a fine … Continue reading Maisemore

Glossary : A Collection of Gloucestershire Place Names

More true meanings of Gloucestershire place names, glossary meaning a collection of Gloucestershire place names, as you well know. I’m planning a small book, illustrated of course, with the whole truth and nothing but the truthity truth. I’ll tell you when it’s done. Frampton Mansell The outfit worn by a large huntsman. Rather too tight across the backside and gut as the owner has generally owned it and worn it from when he was at least three trouser sizes thinner. Puts the horse under exceptional strain. See also Hartbury as someone displaying a Frampton will generally respond to to an … Continue reading Glossary : A Collection of Gloucestershire Place Names

Guiting power, the unknown force.

Guiting Power The uncanny way that a vicar is able to pedal a very heavy bicycle at a constant speed no matter what the gradient of the slope or the load carried in the front basket. There is always a front basket. Continuing my series on possible meaning of Gloucestershire names, this place is in the Cotswolds and probably does not see a lot of these gentlemen these days. Continue reading Guiting power, the unknown force.

More about the true meaning of Gloucestershire names

Hucclecote One of those parkas your dad or granddad used to own in the seventies that you never bothered to throw away. The undefined fur on the collar is somewhat perished and moth eaten. It has no waterproofing qualities at all and never did, and if mistakenly worn in wet conditions will act like blotting paper. May have the slight smell of patchouli oil, the rennants of a visit to a music festival but more likely to give off the odour of cow manure. Here’s another of my recent drawings for my little book of Gloucestershire names and their true … Continue reading More about the true meaning of Gloucestershire names

Walk this way please.

This is the last photo that I’ll be posting on here, and is in the Canadian Rockies. From now on my writings and photos will be on http://www.unknownitems.com and this site will be dedicated to drawings and cartoons, the odd bit of writing here and there and perhaps a poem or two. It’s a bit of a reorganisation, a tidying of my drawers so to speak. It will also give me some idea of what is the most popular stuff, the drawings or the photographs/writings. So if you have been following me here, feel free to follow me there : … Continue reading Walk this way please.

The red headed brass bandsman…

It’s been like winter here today so here’s a reminder of what it can be like.Taken after my trip to Paradise a few weeks ago, the Forest of Dean Brass Band playing in the park and this chap playing the tuba. I bet he plays rugby too! Wet days like today are ideal for drawing at the desk, no distractions and as can be seen by today’s activity on the blog a chance to catch up with Siberian border guards. Continue reading The red headed brass bandsman…

Tibberton

Here’s today’s almost finished rough. I’m working on a little book of place names and their meaning. ( I’ve made them all up of course ) Tibberton is a small village on the outskirts of Gloucester going west, but I describe it thus: Tibberton The way a female Tuffley walks after a night out on the Abbeymead. The heels of her shoes clatter on a wet pavement, generally accompanied by some choice language like: ” It wos you wot sed these shoes were ok Dawn but they’s crap, oh bugger av just lost me cheps” which loosely translated means ” … Continue reading Tibberton

Orkneys, weather or not.

I don’t normally post about holidays but this is the exception. The Orkneys with a group of fellow walkers was the plan and a good plan it was too. It rains a lot in the Orkneys and for those of you not familiar with where I’m talking about it’s north of the very north of mainland Scotland and consists of many islands. We got there by flying to Inverness and then transported from there by fine ‘minibuswalkercarrier’ vehicle to the top of the country. It was raining, and grey, all day. It got more and more bleak the further north … Continue reading Orkneys, weather or not.