Blast from the past… 20

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Notes from bygone years – Julys duly described
Hint: Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

July 2023 (1 year before publishing this article)

We decided to take the plunge and install solar panels on our roof. We had a long wait as demand was high, but the installers arrived in July and after a few days work we were delighted to have the system reducing our electricity bills to almost nothing. Of course, we knew it would be different in the winter months, but with a 10 kWh battery included, we found we could get right through the night on our own stored energy in the summer.

I was also experimenting with a reduced eating window, having breakfast around 11:00. I’ve tried restricted eating before, but this time I’m following evidence-based suggestions from Zoe (see also the Zoe website) .

JHM: I posted the first article on our North Coast 500 trip; and an early version of Blast from the past. – World events: New Zealand signed a free trade agreement with the EU; and the films Barbie and Oppenheimer opened.

< Jun 2023 – Aug 2023 >

July 2022 (2 years before publishing)

I was doing Monday walks most weeks with my friend Stephen. We met at one of CBC’s Small Groups here in Stratton, and we got on really well together. Among other interests, Stephen played saxophone in the ‘JJ Band’. We shared similar views on many things and both had backgrounds in computing.

Stephen lived in the town so I’d usually walk down to meet him, we’d enjoy a walk in the park, and often buy coffees from the van or sometimes in town. I always looked forward to my Monday walks.

JHM: The conservative government seemed to be sinking. – World events: The James Webb Space Telescope‘s first operational image was released; and severe heatwaves began in Europe.

< Jun 2022 – Aug 2022 >

July 2019 (5 years before)

This was a busy month, I walked several sections of the old Thames and Severn Canal (something I’ve been doing again in 2024), we were regularly arranging the chairs at CBC on Fridays, and two people I knew died, Bob Morris and then Michael Sleggs.

Donna’s Dad was getting weaker and his Parkinson’s symptoms were worsening, so her Mum was needing more help than before and we travelled to Poole to help out more often.

World events: Japan resumed commercial whaling; and Boris Johnson became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

< Jun 2019 – Aug 2019 >

July 2014 (10 years)

We were living in St Neots, this is a view of the River Great Ouse flowing through the town centre, an easy walk from our house in Eaton Ford. Donna was looking for a school placement for her teaching, I was meeting with a group of friends in coffee shops, hanging out, doing Bible study here and there, hopefully helping people grow and thrive. I was also meeting at home with friends from various local churches.

World events: Israel attacked the Gaza Strip; and a Malaysia Airlines flight was shot down over Ukraine by a missile.

< Jun 2014 – Aug 2014 >

July 2009 (15 years)

I went to a house church conference and was astonished to bump into my friend Jim Russell there. He’d always thought my views on church were not right, yet here he was! We had some great conversation and he took my photo while I took his. I had no idea that this would be the last time I’d see him.

JHM: I posted on how church has been unfaithful. – World events: There was a memorial service for Michael Jackson; and Iceland’s parliament decided to attempt to join he EU.

< Jun 2009 – Aug 2009 >

July 2004 (20 years)

Donna took part in the Bedford Race for Life organised by Cancer Research UK, along with her friends Gayna and Claire, pictured here wearing their medals. There was a big turn out, along with large numbers of pink-themed balloons and so forth.

World events:  Cassini–Huygens arrived at Saturn; and  Russia stopped accepting Soviet passports for ID.

< Jun 2004 – Aug 2004 >

July 1999 (25 years)

We were living in Donna’s cottage near Kimbolton and had decided it was much too small for us both. We’d been looking for somewhere larger and the image shows a survey document for the house in St Neots that we eventually bought.

World events: Europol became fully occupational; and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory was launched.

< Jun 1999 – Aug 1999 >

July 1994 (30 years)

We visited Mum and Dad in Cirencester on my birthday. As usual we enjoyed spending time with my parents. The photo shows my nephew Tom, my Mum, Beth and Judy chatting together in the back garden. Rachael, Dan, Rosie and Tom were here the same day so it was good to see them too.

World events: Jeff Bezos founded Amazon; and fragments of Comet Shoemaker–Levy collided with Jupiter.

< Jun 1994 – Aug 1994 >

July 1989 (35 years)

Debbie flew to Bordeaux on her French exchange trip (her exchange partner, Anne, had come to stay with us in March). We saw her through check-in and then waited with her on the tarmac, waving goodbye as she walked out to board the plane.

It seemed very strange to drive back home again without her.

World events: The world’s first high definition TV broadcasts began in Japan; the Tiananmen Square protests took place in Beijing; and the wreck of the Bismarck was found 600 miles from the French coast.

< Jun 1989 – Aug 1989 >

July 1984 (40 years)

We had a summer holiday travelling through Wales from south to north, staying at bed and breakfast places (gwely a brecwast). A few days before we set out, there was a fairly large earthquake, and in Bethesda our landlady was anxious as aftershocks were still continuing. The photo shows Debbie and Beth at the top of Snowdon with a train waiting at the summit station.

World events: Cirque du Soleil was founded in Canada; and  Virgin Atlantic made its inaugural flight.

< Jun 1984 – Aug 1984 >

July 1979 (45 years)

This was a short note on a combined staining method for plum reproductive tissues, to aid microscopical studies of the fertilisation process. It wasn’t published as a scientific paper as far as I recall, but was part of a poster presentation at a conference. I hoped other people would try it on different kinds of plant material so that together we could get a much broader view of its usefulness. I don’t think anything came of it in the end, but it’s important to try – that’s part of how science works.

World events: The Sony Walkman first went on sale in Japan; and NASA’s Skylab space station re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere.

< Jun 1979 – Aug 1979 >

July 1974 (50 years)

Judy must have become pregnant about this time, but we didn’t know that until a little later, of course.

The Severn Bridge was only eight-years-old, and it still seemed amazing that we could drive to Wales instead of queuing for the old Aust Ferry or driving all the way to Gloucester. And there was no thought of a second crossing, of course! I took this photo, but forgot to adjust the focus (no auto-focus in those days).

World events: Turkey invaded Cyprus; and Australia changed all road signs from miles to km and from mph to kph.

< Jun 1974 – Aug 1974 >

July 1969 (55 years)

I was lodging at Archgrove House in Long Ashton along with other students working at the Research Station that summer. Judy sent me the postcard from York (pictured) where she was on holiday with her parents and brother Frank. You won’t believe what her Dad said about York Minster!

World events: John Fairfax was the first person to row solo across an ocean (the Atlantic);  and Neil Armstrong was the first to walk on the Moon (we watched this live at Archgrove House).

< Jun 1969 – Aug 1969>

July 1964 (60 years)

Dad drove out to the gravel pits near South Cerney. Some of these were still being used to extract gravel, but some had been worked out and were used by anglers, for swimming, and for water-skiing which we’d never seen before. I took two cameras with me, my old Kodak Starmite loaded with 127 colour transparency film, and my new Kodak Retinette loaded with 35 mm black and white. This photo shows Dad using his camera and my sisters Rachael, Ruth and Cindy.

World events: Malawi became independent of the UK; and NASA’s  Ranger 7 send back the first close-up images of the Moon.

< Jun 1964 – Aug 1964>

July 1959 (65 years)

I thought you might like to see this birthday letter from my Grandpa. He had emphysema, and died on 22nd August, my 11+ results came in before that and he knew that I had passed. Granny had decided that a sleeping bag would be a useful present as I was off to Cub Camp soon after my birthday and would then move up to the Scouts.

World events:  A 49th star (for Alaska) was briefly added to the US flag; and the first Australopithecus skull was discovered in Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania.

< Jun 1959 – Aug 1959>

July 1954 (70 years)

This is a postcard from my Mum to her family back in Northern Ireland. She writes about Cindy and me suffering from chicken pox. I had it before Cindy, so it’s likely I gave it to her (sorry, Cindy). Read the card.

World events: Food rationing ended in the UK; and Tolkien’s ‘The Fellowship of the Ring‘ was published.

< Jun 1954 – Aug 1954>

July 1949 (75 years)

My very first birthday came at the end of the month, a special day, no doubt, with doting parents and grandparents. I must have had other birthday cards, but this one from Watermoor Church is the only survivor. That’s interesting in itself; Mum would have kept them all for a while, but this one seemed more important, perhaps because of Mum and Dad’s strong faith.

On the back of the card is written, ‘Christopher James Jefferies, 37 Victoria Road, baptised October 24^th 1948′.

World events:  The UK’s NHS began working; and the 1948 Summer Olympics started in London.

< Jun 1949 – Aug 1949>

July 1944 (80 years)

Dad, along with his friend Joe, travelled by lorry, train and bus to Yatesbury where radar training began for them and many others. Dad liked this posting, writing, ‘Radar people seem a good lot’. He was able to hitch home in two or three hours to see the family in Cirencester, sometimes Joe came along too. By the end of the month Dad and others were using radar equipment to plot movements of real aircraft (‘pukka kites’). The photo shows an old aircraft hanger at Yatesbury in 2014.

< Jun 1944 – Aug 1944>

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