Blast from the past… 13

In December 2022 I posted my first attempt at ‘Blast from the past’. It was brief, covering just 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 years

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Notes from bygone years – December after December, Christmas after Christmas…
Hint: Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

December 2022 (1 year before publishing this article)
A fine stack of cats

In December 2022 I posted my first attempt at ‘Blast from the past’. It was brief, covering just 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 years; I only mentioned earlier JHM blog posts, nothing about my personal history or memories, and no images. It’s changed beyond recognition in 12 months!

On 17th December we drove up to York to visit my daughters and our grandchildren. On the way, the snowy fields and trees were really lovely to see. On the 18th we walked into the centre of York together and looked around Fairfax House, a fabulous and fascinating place – well worth a visit if you’re in York and haven’t seen it before. On 19th, back at home, I built a stack of cats! These were a present, a game where players take turns to add one cat – until the stack collapses.

Also in December 2022, I published an article about order and disorder, destruction and abundance, restrictions and freedom. I called it My Father is a farmer.

< Nov 2022 – Jan 2023 >

December 2021 (2 years before publishing)
Venus and the Moon

In December 2021 the young Moon and Venus made for a lovely sky in the evening twilight. I took this photo, only noticing later that a passing bird had photobombed the scene!

My friend, Nick Henderson invited me to write an article on why I left the Anglican church. You can read it here on my blog, and and on his website, Anglicanism.org.

< Nov 2021 – Jan 2022 >

December 2018 (5 years before)
Parish Church clock

In December 2018 I took a photo of the clock on Cirencester’s Parish Church tower. The honey coloured Cotswold limestone of the tower glows gloriously in the orange light of the setting sun. What a combination! Studying the photo later, I realised for the first time that the clock face is painted onto the stone of the tower. I had always imagined it was a large wooden or metal panel.

I posted an online card for Christmas and New Year, hoar frost on red berries.

< Nov 2018 – Jan 2019 >

December 2013 (10 years)
Newforms Gathering

In December 2013 I was at a Newforms Gathering in Nottingham. It was great to be amongst other people doing their best to follow Jesus and represent him in what is often a very broken world.

On JHM I wrote about food banks and why they were needed in Britain. Sadly they are still needed a decade later.

< Nov 2013 – Jan 2014 >

    December 2008 (15 years)
    Near Bournemouth

    In December 2008 we visited Donna’s parents and walked along the coast near Bournemouth. It looked lovely with some strong sunshine, but my word it was cold!

    I wrote an article on JHM the same month on the topics of science and technology.

    < Nov 2008 – Jan 2009>

    December 2003 (20 years)
    An away day

    In December 2003 I was working for Unilever Research; and the department had a couple of working away days as a planning and learning exercise. These were always daytime effort and evening fun.

    < Nov 2003 – Jan 2004 >

    December 1998 (25 years)
    New licence

    In December 1998 we were living in Tilbrook, a tiny village near Kimbolton, Bedfordshire. I received my replacement driving licence for the new address. There was no plastic card, this document folded up and fitted into a flexible plastic sleeve.

    < Nov 1998 – Jan 1999 >

    December 1993 (30 years)
    Buccaneer

    In December 1993 we were living in Yatton and visited Judy’s parents in Cheltenham for Christmas and my parents in Cirencester for New Year. Here are Cindy, Rachael, Neil and Tom in the dining room at Churnside, playing Buccaneer. It’s a 1938 game of pirates, treasure, shipwreck and rum – great fun.

    < Nov 1993 – Jan 1994 >

    December 1988 (35 years)
    Dad’s snail

    In December 1988 we visited my parents in Cirencester. Dad still had his African land snail in the glass tank and everyone was interested to take a closer look at it. Beth is unfortunately hidden behind Debbie in this shot. The glass tank was originally for a lead-acid radio battery.

    < Nov 1988 – Jan 1989 >

    December 1983 (40 years)

    In December 1983, my department at Long Ashton was beginning the process of working out how proposed budget cuts would effect staff. Some would be redeployed in other research centres. Others would be made redundant.

    < Nov 1983 – Jan 1984 >

    December 1978 (45 years)

    In December 1978 Debbie was three and three quarters and Beth was 7 months old. We’d been in our 1960s mid-terrace house in Yatton for some time but there still seemed to be enough room for us. In Iran, two million people demonstrated in the streets against the Shah.

    < Nov 1978 – Jan 1979 >

    December 1973 (50 years)

    In December 1973, we were trying to save enough money for a deposit on a mortgage. We’d saved quite a lot, but house prices were rising faster than we could manage.

    Pioneer 10 (Wikipedia)

    The Pioneer 10 spacecraft was the first probe to fly past Jupiter. The images were fuzzy by modern standards, but far better than any telescope could achieve at the time. I remember sitting in the library at work in my lunch break, reading about it in Science, Nature, and at home in New Scientist.

    < Nov 1973 – Jan 1974 >

    December 1968 (55 years)

    December 1968 was a significant month. As far as I can recall, on 31st December both families were in the same room in Cheltenham when I asked Judy’s Dad if I might marry his daughter. He said, ‘Yes’, right away so all was well. It’s possible this was very early January, but I think it was New Year’s Eve. Of course, Judy and I had decided this well in advance but it was fun to make the move with everyone present!

    < Nov 1968 – Jan 1969 >

    December 1963 (60 years)
    Christmas at Churnside

    In December 1963 I was in the Fifth Form at Cirencester Grammar School. Mum made the usual stonkingly large Christmas cake (we always managed to eat it all in a week or so). Even Chloe, the dog has a small slice on her own plate in the photo. And, of course, it goes without saying that there’s Marmite on the table.

    < Nov 1963 – Jan 1964 >

    December 1958 (65 years)
    The poem

    In December 1958 I was in my 6th and final year at Querns School. One of my friends from before we started school, Robert Kneale, wrote a Christmas poem for our teacher, Miss Taylor. We were both ten at the time, I wonder if he had a little help from his Dad, George? It’s a great effort – click on the image to read it.

    < Nov 1958 – Jan 1959 >

    December 1953 (70 years)

    In December 1953 I was five-years-old and finished my first school term.

    The world of human paleontology was still reeling following the announcement on 20th November that Piltdown Man had been a hoax.

    < Nov 1953 – Jan 1954 >

    December 1948 (75 years)

    At the end of December 1948 I was five months old and turned over by myself for the first time on 2nd. Dad had a 10/- raise in his wages and was busy lifting Christmas trees for sale.

    < Nov 1948 – Jan 1949 >

    December 1943 (80 years)

    In December 1943 Dad travelled by train to Paddington Station and on to Euston House where he went through a series of subject exams and aptitude tests. He was enlisted as a Radar Operator in the RAF Volunteer Reserve, received 10/6d pay, and was deferred for six months. He was very disappointed to have been turned down as a pilot.

    < Nov 1943 – Jan 1944 >

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    Season’s Greetings 2023

    Look at the world around you and you will see pain, loss, discouragement, guilt, and hard struggles for survival. But look at the world from just the right angle and you will see altogether better things.

    I have something a little different for you this year. The photo shows a reflected image of Cirencester Parish Church in a puddle of water in Gosditch Street. What can this photo say to us?

    What’s in a puddle?

    More and more, the UK is a rich mix of people from many cultural backgrounds. That’s why the title is not ‘Christmas Greetings’. Please accept the greetings and replace the word ‘Season’ with whatever you like. If you’re Hindu you could choose Diwali as a reminder of your celebrations in November, or Jewish friends might go with Hannukah in December, if you’re Muslim you might look forward to Lailat al Miraj in February; Buddhists might consider Bodhi Day, and there are more groups of people I haven’t mentioned specifically. But whatever you celebrate, please take my greetings as a blessing for the whole of next year – spring, summer, autumn and winter.

    I’d also like to bless you with a few thoughts about the picture. What, indeed, is in a puddle?

    Look at the same puddle from any other angle and you would see dirty water; perhaps some litter; bits of road grit; a rather grubby, yellow ‘no parking’ line; and the general detritus of everyday life. But look at it from just the right angle and you see a reflected image, in this case an image of beautiful mediaeval architecture, detailed fine carving in stone, and the leaves of a living tree.

    Look at the world around you and you will see pain, loss, discouragement, guilt, and hard struggles for survival. But look at the world from just the right angle and you will see altogether better things. Love for family, friends, and neighbours, beauty in nature and in people’s hearts and actions, joy, discovery, encouragement, peace, and thriving life. As a follower of Jesus (Yahshua, Isa), when I look at him in the right way I see a reflection of the Creator, the Source and Power behind this amazing universe.

    Reflections in puddles also have another effect – they turn everything upside down. Jesus did that too: he confronted people with truth, he pointed out false motives, uncaring behaviour by the wealthy, blame-shifting, and striving for power or approval. People don’t like that, truth is often inconvenient.

    Who should we think of this winter? Who can we help in some practical way? It might be someone in the road where we live, or the place where we work. In the world at large let’s remember the people in Ukraine, Gaza, and other places where there are struggles and loss of life (it’s not hard to think of more).

    So my message this winter is that we should all help those around us. Talk with lonely people, provide some dried or canned food to your local food bank, donate warm clothes you no longer need, perhaps to a charity shop. If you can afford a gift of money, choose a charity that will use your donation wisely and effectively. And reach out more widely too, perhaps on the internet; send a message of encouragement or a gift to someone.

    So whoever you are, whatever faith you have (or none), I hope 2024 will be a year to look forward to. As this year closes and the new one arrives, my hope, wish, and prayer for you is that grace and blessing will fill your life in ways hoped for and ways unexpected.

    Let’s all be grateful for what we have, and display compassion and love towards those who need it. In that way, blessing will have a chance to touch you, and through you, touch others as well.

    PS – If you like the puddle photo, click it for the full size version. Print it out, put it in a frame and hang it on the wall. Give a copy to friends if you think they’d like it; or send them a link to this message.

    Other years

    2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020
    2019, 2018, 2017, 2016

    Blast from the past… 12

    Dad went to the RAF Recruiting Office in Gloucester for a medical; everything was good except his eyesight, but they passed him for aircrew.

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    Notes from bygone years – Novembers one and all
    Hint: Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

    November 2022

    In November 2022 our friends Jim and Kevin drove over from St Neots to visit us for a day. Jim’s wife, Pam, couldn’t make it this time. We took them to see the Corinium Museum, and Jim was very impressed by some of the mosaic floors on display. Kevin, being an engineer by trade, was interested in the Roman iron tools on display.

    A jigsaw map of Cirencester

    A few days later we had a visit from Sean and Tania, friends from Bedford. So lots of ‘easterners’ visiting us during November!

    And some friends lent us a lovely jigsaw made from an old map of Cirencester as it was in the late 19th century; we enjoyed fitting the pieces together and noticing the many changes that have taken place here over the years.

    This month I published an article about Clifford’s Tower in York.

    < Oct 2022 – Dec 2022 >

    November 2021
    Batsford Arboretum

    In November 2021 we visited Batsford Arboretum near Moreton-in-Marsh. This is an informal collection of trees, planted in the grounds of a lovely old house. It’s as much a large garden as it is a botanical collection. A great day out (and a good garden centre and restaurant into the bargain).

    I published an article about a remarkably clever computer emulation of evolution.

    < Oct 2021 – Dec 2021 >

    November 2018
    Book launch

    In November 2018 my sister, Cindy, launched a new book. Cindy is wearing the red hat in the photo; the new book was The Outrageous Fortune of Abel Morgan. You can find it in bookshops as well as on Google Play Books and Amazon.

    I wrote about murmurations in November; if you don’t know what these are, you will be amazed. Play the video in the article for a grandstand view (with music).

    < Oct 2018 – Dec 2018 >

    November 2013
    Taking out the old

    In November 2013 our kitchen was being modified. Walls had to come down to incorporate a corridor, pantry and old coal bunkers into the main space followed by the addition of a steel beam, replastering and installing a full new kitchen. For a while it was a real mess!

    I posted an article on reusable rockets.

    < Oct 2013 – Dec 2013 >

      November 2008
      Undignified!

      In November 2008, Donna’s cat, Truffles, was getting on in years and had developed one white whisker, she looked lop-sided and it was very amusing. She developed more later, and looked far more dignified.

      I wrote an article about how blessed we are, together and individually.

      < Oct 2008 – Dec 2008 >

      November 2003
      Nominet certificate

      In November 2003 Nominet confirmed that I held the registration for the internet domain name scilla.org.uk, Donna and I have been using it now for a little over twenty years.

      < Oct 2003 – Dec 2003 >

      November 1998
      Eurodisney

      November 1998 saw us living in Tilly Cottage in the village of Tilbrook near Kimbolton. Donna went for a weekend visit to Eurodisney in Paris with a group of friends.

      < Oct 1998 – Dec 1998 >

      November 1993
      German visitors

      In November 1993 we had a visit from our German friends Gunter and Heidi Klauss. Judy and I met Gunter when he was in Cirencester on a school exchange. He stayed with several families during his time at Cirencester Grammar School, including a spell with my parents; so he and I knew one another rather well.

      < Oct 1993 – Dec 1993>

      November 1988
      Watching the carnival

      In November 1988 we took the train to Weston-super-Mare to view the Bridgwater Carnival. It was cold but a lot of fun. I took some video of the various floats as they passed. These images of Judy, Debbie and Beth are stills from the video.

      < Oct 1988 – Dec 1988 >

      November 1983
      Long Ashton Research Station

      In November 1983, discussions were ongoing about moving research on nursery stock from Long Ashton near Bristol to East Malling in Kent. Long Ashton was to focus on arable crop research and the team I was part of, working on fruit tree pollination, would be moved or closed down. With school age children, this was an anxious time.

      < Oct 1983 – Dec 1983 >

      November 1978

      In November 1978 Debbie was three and Beth was just 6 months. We were living in Yatton, near Bristol; at the time both were within the county of Avon. We lived in a 1960s mid-terrace house with three bedrooms and a tiny kitchen.

      < Oct 1978 – Dec 1978 >

      November 1973
      Sunset from the flat

      In November 1973, we were living in Belmont Road, Bristol. We had rented a first floor, unfurnished flat; this enabled us to buy some second hand furniture, save towards a house deposit, and raise a mortgage. The photo shows a sunset from our living room window.

      < Oct 1973 – Dec 1973 >

      November 1968

      In November 1968 I was in my third year at the University of Bath, studying for a BSc in Horticulture; Judy was in her second year at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, studying Biochemistry. Naturally we wrote to one another frequently. In November we discussed a possible trip to see the 1970 Oberammergau Passion play, but as Judy rightly pointed out, we were already too late to find travel and accomodation for an event that is always massively oversubscribed.

      < Oct 1968 – Dec 1968 >

      November 1963

      In November 1963 I was living in Victoria Road, Cirencester, and I was in the Fifth Form at Cirencester Grammar School, also in Victoria Road. There could be no excuse for late arrival at school!

      < Oct 1963 – Dec 1963 >

      November 1958
      Toy master certificate

      In November 1958 we were living in Queen Anne’s Road on Cirencester’s Beeches Estate; I was in my 6th and final year at Querns School. I achieved my toy master’s badge at Cubs.


      < Oct 1958 – Dec 1958 >

      November 1953

      In November 1953 we had fireworks in the back garden. I don’t think there were big public displays in those days, families bought a few rockets, a Roman candle or two, and a Catherine wheel. I remember Bengal matches that burned in pretty colours, and sparklers to wave around to make light patterns. Jumping Jacks used to leap about on the ground and frighten people, they were banned when I was a bit older.

      < Oct 1953 – Dec 1953 >

      November 1948

      At the end of November 1948 I was four months old. I would have been growing bigger and stronger, interacting more with Mum and Dad and other adults, beginning to vocalise more, and showing some interest in my surroundings.

      < Oct 1948 – Dec 1948 >

      November 1943

      In November 1943 Dad went to the RAF Recruiting Office in Gloucester for a medical; everything was good except his eyesight, but they passed him for aircrew. The following day (1st December) he was to go to London for further tests and to face the Selection Board.

      < Oct 1943 – Dec 1943 >

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      Chuck Pfarrer

      Chuck’s maps are clear, informative, and up to date. He posts fresh material most days

      Chuck is a retired US Army SEAL (amongst other things). He writes and speaks from a position of considerable knowledge on military matters generally. On his X account, he analyses available information about conflicts around the world, at present particularly focussing on events in Ukraine.

      Chuck thinks through whatever information he can glean from online sources and conversations with his contacts, and very quickly transfers the information and his conclusions onto excellent maps. He publishes the maps on his X channel. The maps are up-to-date and informative, but sometimes contain minor errors, like misspelled place names. Given the fact that he builds these maps so fast, I think he can be forgiven these minor errors.

      Chuck’s maps are clear, informative, and up to date. He posts fresh material most days (but not every day) and in addition to the maps he includes views and opinions of his own, brief reports on events happening on the ground, and comment on what he has read or heard on public news channels.

      The Mryia Report podcasts frequently contain input from Chuck, too.

      I normally dip in to Chuck’s X account daily to see what he has posted in the previous 24 hours, and I’m usually rewarded by a new map or two, a brief analysis of a recent event or description of a weapon system newly in use.

      See also:

      Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

      Every day , they collect and analyse data … , build an overall picture of what is happening … , and make the results available

      ISW is a US think tank researching and reporting on conflicts worldwide. They issue daily bulletins on events in Ukraine and Russia as the war develops and continues. I’ve been reading these regular reports for a long time and greatly appreciate them.

      There may be much more detail here than most people require; the reports are long and very thorough. One great thing to remember and appreciate is that ISW makes no attempt to predict outcomes of military actions or military planning.

      They have no access to classified information, nor do they ask for it. They study publicly available sources only. These include free and commercially available satellite images, for example from NASA infra-red detectors which enable them to identify fires and explosions on the ground. They use videos published on YouTube and elsewhere, images on Facebook, X and so on from which they can sometimes geolocate events from the visible surroundings. They also assess public announcements by government and military spokespeople, media interviews and so forth.

      Every day , they collect and analyse data of this kind, build an overall picture of what is happening on the ground, and make the results available in a daily digest with extensive text and maps. It’s an invaluable service.

      Check out their website and the page on their Ukraine updates.

      See also:

      Yaroslava Antipina

      Read Yara’s various projects for a refreshing rest from some of the other sources in the list

      Yaroslava (Yara for short) lives in Kyiv. Like all the citizens of Ukraine she is living in a country at war – with all that entails. But Yara is not content to just sit idly by while her country and her city cope with missile and drone attacks. She has thoughts, opinions, and a delightful attitude to the arts, craft, music and traditions of her nation.

      She writes about all these things and more, she takes and shares photos, usually very good and striking photos of the architecture, people, and the natural world around her. Sometimes she travels.

      What I most like about Yara is that despite everything she brings a balanced and kind approach to a situation that is anything but balanced and kind. She provides news roundups, thoughtful comment, and even creative writing.

      Find her on X, in greater depth at The Warcoffee Blog, on her daily news roundup War Coffee Daily, and her Public Letter (a new idea that I hope will continue after an initial trial).

      Read Yara’s various projects above for a refreshing rest from some of the other sources in the list, sources that necessarily deal with the violence of war, or the more technical aspects of events.

      See also:

      Links- Russian invasion of Ukraine

      Some of the sources include analysis and comment, others do not. Read widely; be aware.

      Finding out what is happening on a day-to-day basis isn’t always easy. Many ordinary news sources have biases of one kind or another based on who owns them, funds them, or reads them. This is true for newspapers, TV, and internet sources alike.

      The list below is not exhaustive. It contains people and organisations I trust to tell me the truth to the best of their ability, to describe the events and facts as they see them and the consequences that may flow from those events and facts. Some of the sources include analysis and comment, others do not. Read widely; be aware.

      The list of links follows, with more explanation at the bottom of the page.

      Articles:
      Military and meta-military sources:
      News sources:
      Podcasts:

      Ukraine: The Latest

      Searches:
      Social websites:
      Sources from Russians:

      Note: These are not ‘official’ sites, I will not include those as I judge them to be biased and unreliable. The links here are to Russian expatriot sources. People and organisations unable to share truth from within the country.

      Videos:
      Further explanation

      I’ve started by providing some bare links, when I can I’ll add details about each source.

      If the Russian invasion and its consequences are topics you’re interested in, you may find the list helpful. As time allows, for each person or organisation I’ll explain some of the features and advantages as I see them. I’ll add more items as I discover them and will remove any that I feel are no longer useful. If you are aware of other sources that I should consider, let me know in the comments or via my contact form.

      Why am I publishing this list of links? And why now, in late 2023? There are two main factors. First, I believe that this war is a pivotal event historically; future historians will recognise this very clearly. What Ukraine is fighting for is freedom and the right to determine it’s own future. Ukraine is internationally recognised as an independent nation with well-defined borders, has a seat at the UN, enjoys a democratically elected government, and has no ambitions to encroach on its neighbours’ rights or territory. Russia, on the other hand, has shown an aggressive attitude towards its neighbours (not just Ukraine). It holds elections in a mockery of democracy, and its leaders seem to think threats, cheating and lies are acceptable ways to govern and conduct international diplomacy. Russia is the playground bully, pushing around the weaker kids and screaming in rage when opposed. (Russia is not alone in this approach, but is certainly the primary example.)

      The second factor is that interest in the war has been fading. Public interest in long term situations is fickle, we focus more on new and recent events. That’s to be expected, it’s human nature. The easier it is to find fresh, up-to-date information, the better. This list is my way of encouraging readers to remember, to remain involved and interested. It’s also an attempt to make the information more accessible.

      What is being done to Ukraine by Russia is wrong. What happens next is of critical importance to the entire world. Why? Simply because it will set the course of events going forward.

      What can you do?

      Do you want to live in the freest possible world where individuals and nations are kind to one another? Or do you prefer to live in a dark and fearful world where individuals and nations harm one another to achieve their aims and objectives? You must choose. The real world is forever a mix of light and dark, good and evil, kindness and cruelty. But all of us can affect the balance just a little by our own voices and actions, and even more by our collective voices and actions.

      Be kind, and encourage kindness in others. Resist cruelty whenever you see it. Remain informed and stay alert. Do not be silent, share your thoughts with all who will listen.

      Blast from the past… 11

      We looked at Bayeux Cathedral inside and out and also took a look at the famous tapestry, then Omaha Beach. It was a great trip.

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      Notes from bygone years – October..ctober..tober..ober…
      Hint: Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

      October 2022 (1 year before publishing this article)
      The Corinium Amphitheatre

      In October 2022, I visited Cirencester’s Roman amphitheatre to see a display by the Ermine Street Guard, a reenactment and experimental archaeology group that builds and tests Roman Army equipment. They’re often in demand for events all over the UK. There was quite a crowd on this day, most of them sitting on the arena slopes and giving a good idea of the amphitheatre’s size in a way that’s not so clear when it’s empty. The military display was excellent too and the weather was kind.

      < Sep 2022 – Nov 2022 >

      October 2021 (2 years before publishing)
      Mammillaria in flower

      In October 2021 my Mammillaria cactus was in full flower. I bought it in the 1960s as a gift for my girlfriend, Judy, when we were both still at school. It lived on her bedroom windowsill until she went to university in 1967; and when we were married in 1970 it moved with us into our bedsit in Bristol. It’s still going strong after all those years and is now getting almost too large to manage with seven flowering arms.

      < Sep 2021 – Nov 2021 >

      October 2018 (5 years before)
      Colour at Westonbirt

      In October 2018 Donna and I spent some time at Westonbirt Arboretum, strolling amongst the autumn colours and taking photos of some of the best views. We love this place; I’ve known it since childhood and it never disappoints – at any season.

      < Sep 2018 – Nov 2018 >

      October 2013 (10 years)
      HMS Britannia

      In October 2013 we were in Edinburgh. Some friends were getting married there and we’d been asked to help. It’s one of our favourite UK cities so we spent a few days there after the wedding before returning home to St Neots. One of the places we visited was HMY Britannia, now permanently moored and open to the public. The photo shows the state dining room.

      < Sep 2013 – Nov 2013 >

        October 2008 (15 years)
        Working from home

        In October 2008 I was working for Unilever at their Colworth research lab north of Bedford. I worked four days a week at this time, and one of those was from home. You can see my work laptop at the left of this photo, in a quiet corner of our conservatory.

        < Sep 2008 – Nov 2008 >

        October 2003 (20 years)
        Bayeux Cathedral

        In October 2003 I visited Bayeux with two friends from work, Tony and Phil. We drove to Portsmouth where we visited HMS Victory, the Mary Rose and HMS Warrior and then took my car across to Cherbourg on the ferry. We looked at Bayeux Cathedral inside and out and also took a look at the famous tapestry, then Omaha Beach. It was a great trip.

        < Sep 2003 – Nov 2003>

        October 1998 (25 years)
        The Greek village

        In October 1998 Donna and I had a week’s holiday on the south coast of Turkey, at Fethiye. We had a good break (apart from 24 hours with bad tummies) and we mixed days by the beach with visits to interesting places. One of these was the ruined Greek town of Kayaköy.  

        < Sep 1998 – Nov 1998>

        October 1993 (30 years)
        My business card

        In October 1993 I was working at Long Ashton Research Station as the Microcomputing Manager and Judy was teaching Biology GCSE and A-level at Cotham Grammar School. Our daughters Debbie and Beth were both at Backwell Comprehensive school.

        < Sep 1993 – Nov 1993>

        October 1988 (35 years)
        A well-organised room

        In October 1988 I’d just redecorated Beth’s bedroom and she had organised the furniture and put her belongings back. She did a brilliant job, still at Yatton Junior School at the time. The photo shows the result in part.

        < Sep 1988 – Nov 1988>

        October 1983 (40 years)

        In October 1983 I was researching fruit pollination at Long Ashton Research Station, mostly on plums and apples. Debbie was eight and was at junior school, Beth was five and had started school too. Judy was probably teaching by this time.

        < Sep 1983 – Nov 1983>

        October 1978 (45 years)

        In October 1978 Debbie was three and the new baby (Beth) was only 5 months old. We were living in Yatton, near Bristol; at the time both were within the county of Avon.

        < Sep 1978 – Nov 1978>

        October 1973 (50 years)

        In October 1973, the old family business was still active, the image is from their price list.


        < Sep 1973 – Nov 1973>

        October 1968 (55 years)

        In October 1968 I was in my third year at the University of Bath, studying for a BSc in Horticulture. I sent a tape letter to my girlfriend Judy, at university in Aberystwyth. (Tape letters were a thing in those days, you recorded a message on a small reel-to-reel tape and posted it in a cardboard case.)

        < Sep 1968 – Nov 1968>

        October 1963 (60 years)
        The museum

        In October 1963 I visited Chedworth Roman Villa on a school trip and took a photo of the museum building on the site.


        < Sep 1963 – Nov 1963>

        October 1958 (65 years)

        In October 1958, my sister Cindy turned seven; NASA launched Pioneer 1 into space; and BOAC flew the first transatlantic jet service, beating PanAm by three weeks. I was in my sixth and final year at junior school (Miss Taylor’s class).

        < Sep 1958 – Nov 1958>

        October 1953 (70 years)

        In October 1953 I had settled in to my first term at junior school. I think I was quite happy by this time, enjoying learning to form letters and doing simple arithmetic, making some new friends, and playing in the playground.

        < Sep 1953 – Nov 1953>

        October 1948 (75 years)

        In October 1948 I was two to three months old; although I don’t remember anything, of course, I’m told my grandfather took a bit of a shine to me. We were living at my grandparents home in Cirencester while Mum and Dad saved up a little money and put their names down for a council house on the Beeches Estate. Mum’s parents lived in Northern Ireland.

        < Sep 1948 – Nov 1948>

        October 1943 (80 years)

        In October 1943, Dad joined Cirencester’s Air Training Corps (ATC), he’d long been interested in aircraft and was a keen model builder and flier as well as joining the ATC at school. I think that he was already intending to join the RAF as soon as he was old enough.

        < Sep 1943 – Nov 1943>

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        ‘Greatest thing’ republished – INDEX

        The analysis excited me, Henry Drummond confirmed what I already knew to be true – this new life in Christ is all about love.

        Here’s a modern English version of Henry Drummond’s ‘The Greatest Thing in the World’. His wonderful essay on love was originally created in 1884, and it analyses Paul’s famous chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians. Well worth a read!

        (See indexes on other topics)

        Read it online or download it
        • The modern English version is available to read or download online (a couple of the links in the PDF no longer work, I’ll correct them when I can).
        • The Victorian original is also available.
        • Many printed versions are available too, take your pick.
        Article series

        You might enjoy this series of short articles in which I examined Henry Drummond’s essay in more detail.

        Why create a new version?

        Why have I gone to the trouble of translating this essay into modern English? Basically, because it deserves a wider audience. Years ago The Greatest Thing was often reprinted as a booklet and was very popular. I remember buying a copy in Wesley Owen’s on Park Street in Bristol back in the 1970s when the language was still less than 100 years out of date. It was a great read and it helped to change my life. The analysis excited me, Henry Drummond confirmed what I already knew to be true – this new life in Christ is all about love. At the same time the little book challenged me and drew me on.

        This great essay is no longer widely known or read. It deserves better. It will speak to readers today just as it always did. Read it!

        Acknowledgements

        And finally, I just want to thank the family members and friends who read my early drafts and made helpful suggestions, pointed out errors, or were just encouraging. You know who you are.

        Licencing

        Copyright in the original has expired while the new version comes with a Creative Commons licence. So please feel free to print or republish either version and distribute it as widely as you like.

        See also:

        Dad’s diaries

        I fell through my deck chair, mended it, and Faulks fell through it again later!

        My father was given a pocket diary for Christmas 1942; he was sixteen at the time. This seems to have spurred him into writing short notes in very small, cramped handwriting; four days to a page and rather small pages made this essential. These diaries are an absolute treasure-trove.

        The image below includes the dates 25th to 28th June 1943, and these form the basis of this short article.

        An extract from Dad’s 1943 diary

        Dad kept up his journal notes for about six years and the diaries are a fascinating glimpse into his life at the time, covering his last terms at school, his career in the wartime RAF and his posting to the Far East, followed by his marriage to my mother and my birth.

        I wish there was more, but the record of those six years is a treasure in itself. I’ve been transcribing the entries as they are sometimes difficult to read.

        Explanatory notes

        Dad was in the process of taking his School Certificate exams at this time, more or less equivalent to today’s GCSEs. He had many friends, male and female, from school, family and others. Brenda (Bren) was a particularly close friend, perhaps we should say she was his girlfriend.

        Guv and Nor are his parents, living in Cirencester some five miles from Rendcomb College where he was a boarder. Jill was his niece (therefore my cousin), Tim was Jill’s brother.

        It’s amusing that he was asked to write an essay on bringing up children. It’s a good exercise for any pupil as it demands thinking around topics like discipline, appropriate punishments and so forth. A tricky task to write about this for a head master! The ‘small Martlet model’ mentioned is a miniature aircraft, carved from wood and painted. Lee-Browne was the Head Master at Rendcomb School.

        The cigarette box also became a gift for Brenda, and the deck chair incident is very amusing – it seems the repair was not entirely satisfactory! We shall never know what was so mysterious about Ann’s ‘communication’ or why sitting next to Miss Finlayson was notable. Beach was my Dad’s maths teacher, and the B-17s were American bombers.

        Day by day

        Here’s the extract from 1943, slightly edited and expanded for clarity and readability:

        Friday 25th June – I did my English Practical and French exams for School Certificate. I had a letter from Bren, and cycled to Cirencester to visit her, spending half an hour there. I called on Guv for his birthday and saw Jill there as well as Nor and Betty. Back at school I played tennis right into third prep with Weed, M. Wood, and J. Sumsion.

        Saturday 26th June – I wrote an essay for the Head Master on, “How I intend to bring up my children”. Pilch and I played tennis for the games period. I bought a Mars bar and posted Bren’s birthday card and a small Martlet model, then went for a walk with Faulks. I played the Amp and went through the Inter Services Journal with Dickers. I also saw Tim who was staying here with the Lee-Brownes for a week.

        Sunday 27th June – I revised History “spots” all afternoon under the Laburnum tree, and cut out black walnut to make into a cigarette box. I revised English in the evening. I fell through my deck chair, mended it, and Faulks fell through it again later!

        Monday 28th June – We had Geometry and English Literature exams this morning. I watched some good flights by the Aegeus model and received a most mysterious communication from Ann. I sat next to Miss Finlayson, and saw Beach for ten minutes, then revised under the Laburnum and saw B-17 Fortresses fly over during third prep.

        See also: