Tag: Gloucestershire

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What is it about masons?

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  A trip to the Mason’s yard at Gloucester Cathedral. I have a friend at the Cathedral who said she would help me out getting a small sculpture repaired for me. I wanted to match the stone and make the repair myself and asked if I could have a little stone dust to match the colour when I make the repair. She was happy to oblige and off I went with the wingtip in my bag. The sculpture was of a bird and it’s wing the victim of the gust of wind. I’ve been to this place before and it fascinates … Continue reading What is it about masons?

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The importance of washing up.

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Dishwashers have been around for years now but there are good reasons for dispensing with them. First of all they use some pretty toxic chemicals to get the burnt on cinders off your beautifully crafted dishes. They can’t really be used to clean anything delicate or fine, and certainly shouldn’t be used to clean the silver cutlery. Did you hear that Jeeves? But the most important reason they should be considered superfluous is that they are desperately unsociable. Fascinating little memorial just up the road from me here in Cheltenham at Cheltenham College, a very expensive public school with the … Continue reading The importance of washing up.

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Where’s the joke?

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I got into this by accident. I always wanted to be an advertising art director as it sounded glamorous and there might be lots of travel. Photo shoots in glamorous places with glamorous people go with. I had a brief period in the business before I got the order of the golden boot, not fired, just not wanted.I never went anywhere glamorous, but met some lovely people. The agency that I then worked for: S.H. Bensons was one of those grand old men of advertising where famous novelists started as copywriters and Mr Benson himself was famous for being the original ‘marketing … Continue reading Where’s the joke?

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Amberley

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Amberley The way an old gardener walks with head facing downwards looking for weeds. An orginal garden gait.   Amberley is in actual fact a small village between Stroud and Nailsworth and is on the side of the hill, the sunny side at that. It’s very ‘sought-after’ these days in estate agent speak, which to you and me is expensive. There may well be gardeners in the area. Continue reading Amberley

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Bibury, how the Japanese avoid it.

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Bibury The walk of a tourist who does not undertsand what he/she should be doing, or seeing, or indeed why they are where they are at all. Involves walking slowly in one direction and then in another random direction, even the person doing the walking does not understand exactly why or in which direction they might be going. The presence of vehicles makes this a dangerous activity and can result in a split bibury which is where the group is bisected by traffic and can induce panic amongst the assembly.  It’s all a sorry sight. Pity them. Common in the … Continue reading Bibury, how the Japanese avoid it.

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Maisemore

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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

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Glossary : A Collection of Gloucestershire Place Names

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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

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More about the true meaning of Gloucestershire names

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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

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Tibberton

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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

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Just a walk away…

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So you might have expected a couple of Siberian Border guards but the weather today has been so good that they have melted away. They’ll be back soon. Off for a walk through the town and came across this gem of a house, and yes it is a house, here in Cheltenham. Then up to Pitville to meet my walking companion for the afternoon stroll. Pitville is a super park area that was at one time only available to the residents that surrounded it, but is now thankfully open to all. Here we came across a wild planting area that … Continue reading Just a walk away…

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Down in the docks someone’s hammering chains

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This is the working end of a ship in the dry dock of Gloucester Docks where I had an afternoon out the other day. It’s worth a trip if your in the area. I like Gloucester, used to live there and miss it’s friendly atmosphere and the rough edges. This place is a gem and is Tommy Nielson’s boat yard in the docks. They are in the middle of a complete refit of the tall ship Kaskelot which is also being renamed to some strange Scandinavian name. It’s one of the largest tall ships around these days and you can … Continue reading Down in the docks someone’s hammering chains