This is a letter sent from Arlou in Belgium on the 16th December 1945 to my mother and father on the birth of my brother John, who was born on the 14th November 1945. It’s from someone called A Kinnaert. It’s a congratulations to my parents on the birth of their son. Our father was with the Guards Armoured Division in Belgium during World War 2 and, as I understand it, he was billeted later in the war with this Belgian family in the small village of Zetrud Lumay. I assume after the liberation of Brussels in the September of … Continue reading The Belgian letter

Tredworth: Shoes with a very large sole as used by teddy boys. Tuffley: One of those men who go out every Friday and Saturday night in a white tight t shirt and jeans, no coat, whatever the weather. The female version wears very high heels and a ‘dress’ that grips in certain areas and makes her body wobble like a Mexican wave. Perpetual motion. Tunley: Moody. Uncooperative and sullen like a 14 year old. _________________________________________________________________________ A Guide to Gloucestershire Place Names and their True Meaning. This is another in the series from my considered in depth research into this esoteric … Continue reading Tredworth

Perhaps the title whould be ” Where to stop?” I was reminded of this by a posting on Facebook of a Canadian lino cut artist called Linda Cote, and who’s work I really like. She posted an image with four different prints all of the same subject, with slight variations. The thing about reduction lino cut work, as I understand it, is that when it’s gone, it’s gone. Take away part of the image and you can’t put it back. The same applies to drawing to a degree, but with cartoons like mine, the tendency is to just do it … Continue reading Where to start?

This still seems relevant today. Continue reading Recycling a drawing from some years ago.

Totterdown: The way the heels of female Tuffley’s shoes clatter on a wet pavement, generally accompanied by some choice language like: “ It were you wot sed these shoes were ok Dawn but they’s crap, oh bugger av just lost me cheps” which loosely translated means “ this footwear came highly recommended by you Dawn, but they cannot stand up to the rigours of a night out in Gloucester, oh dear I seem to have dropped my French fried potatoes”. Tibberton: The high speed speech of a female Tuffley which is completely unintelligible to anyone other than another female Tuffley, … Continue reading Totterdown

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. Gotherington: Curtains with too many pleats that hang down in a semi circle. Sometimes referred to disparagingly as ‘tart’s knickers’, but Gotherington is the proper term. The phrase: ‘This room you’ve decorated in purple would be further much enhanced if you were to have a Gotherington finish to the drapes’. _________________________________________________________________________ A Guide to Gloucestershire Place Names and … Continue reading Guiting Power

Daglingworth: The bits hanging around the rear end of an unshorn sheep. Short for person who is unkemp and slovenly appearance. Anyone white wearing dreadlocks. Dudbridge: Unsafe crossing like the one featured in that classic film “The Bridge over the River Wye” or even used to describe stepping stones across a river. Did I hear whistling? ________________________________________________________________________ A Guide to Gloucestershire Place Names and their True Meaning. This is another in the series from my considered in depth research into this esoteric subject. _________________________________________________________________________ Daglingworth does exist, it’s near Cirencester. Dudbridge is near Stroud close to the River Frome, one … Continue reading Daglingworth

Frampton Mansell: The outfit worn by a large huntsman. Rather too tight across the backside and gut as the owner has generally owned 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 observation about his Frampton with one single very loud Hartbury. Hartbury: The sound made when men of a certain age clear their throats before speaking in public. Onomatopoeic. Emphasis on the HART. Method of disapproval, see Frampton Mansell. Only ever used by rich landowners who … Continue reading Frampton Mansell

Didbrook: A thump or blow to the belly which results in the recipient expelling all available oxygen from the body. A term used in rugby. Recipient likely not to get back on their feet for some time, and will wheeze for days, and be dazed for weeks. Damery: The sort of things that women keep very deep in their handbags for unforeseen circumstances that men have no knowledge of. Much better that way. _________________________________________________________________________ A Guide to Gloucestershire Place Names and their True Meaning. This is another in the series from my considered in depth research into this esoteric subject. ________________________________________________________________________ … Continue reading Didbrook

Avening: A large expanse of country house lawn where absolutely no weeds exist at all. Any sign of weeds within said lawn are treated with horror by the owners and with suspicion of weedkiller by purist gardening visitors to the mansion. This is always refuted by the head gardener but he’s likely to have his fingers crossed. Corse Lawn: The opposite to Avening. An area of so-called garden which will contain a large number of highly coloured plastic toys, swings and a dog pen. Probably a rope will hang from any tree branch and there’s likely to be a trampoline which … Continue reading Corse Lawn