Bye Bye For Now

Bye Bye For Now, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

Someone has stolen my camera so this is my last posting for a while.

I think I would rather they put him in a gunny sack

The End Of All Things, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

I finally realise that I have lived too long when I see Chuck Berry filed under easy listening in the H.M.V. shop in Norwich.

Was I right to walk away? You the jury decide

Was I right to walk away? You the jury decide, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

A dealers dilemma. Described as Clarice Cliff honeydew. No marking other than "Made In England" on the bottom. Not in great condition. The cup did not "feel" like a Newport Pottery cup - too light in the hand. There was still money to be made at under two quid a piece -if it was all it was supposed to be.

I passed them up mainly because I did not like them. If you want to buy it, it was still on sale at 13.30hrs on 17/02/09 in the ARC Charity Shop on Lower Goat Lane, Norwich. 20 pieces including two cups for £39.50.

Was I a fool not to buy it? A differently banded piece of honeydew can be seen here.

Sign O' The Times(continued)

Gun Law, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

I wondered when I saw this cast iron sign if the local parish council were concerned that gangs of armed Motorcycle Hoodlums were going to descend on Gunton Road Park and lay waste to the place in an orgy of violence unseen in Norfolk since the arrival of the Viking economic migrants.

Within ten feet there were two more signs informing the public that guns were not allowed caused me to look around for a parkkeeper who looked like Wyatt Earp. (The warning that there was a fifty quid fine for anyone found in possession of a firearm, although probably quite a harsh penalty in somewhere like Arkansas seemed rather lenient for the UK.)



My fears were allayed somewhat by this fourth notice which clearly depicts someone on a Honda 50 moped; a machine that no respectable gun toting Hells Angel would be seen within a mile of.

Sign O' The Times

Concerns have been raised, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

"DANGER.
DO NOT PADDLE OR
PLAY UNDER THIS
BRIDGE AS CONCERNS
HAVE BEEN RAISED
ABOUT THE SOUNDNESS
OF ITS STRUCTURE"

Amusingly enough no such warning is given to the cars or people who walk and drive over the bridge.

A Dream Of Tahiti

In the 1920s my great aunt Dorothy (Dolly) Myhill of Fundenhall, Norfolk ran off to Tahiti with the artist William Alistair MacDonald. Examples of his Watercolours are included in this posting. Although he was already married it appears they went through some sort of marriage ceremony either in France or on Tahiti itself.They only stayed together for a short time. Certainly after they had "split up" she was given a passport in the name of MacDonald.

I am desperate to find out more information about this episode and would be grateful if anyone can supply me with any details. Any details at all

In particular I am looking for passenger lists of the french ship El Kantara in 1923. Investigation has shown that great aunt did not leave for Tahiti from Great Britain so we can only presume she left for the Society Islands from Marseilles.

Pictured
Above. Family legend says this is the house they lived in and that it was one of the two on Tahiti that had previously belonged to Gaugain.
Below. El Kantara docked in Papeete in July 1923. This was the first time she had arrived in Tahiti. Up until then all ships to Tahiti had routed via New Zealand

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Echo All Over The World

Echo All Over The World, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

A small selection of phonograph cylinder boxes, (labels from left to right) Pathe; Columbia; Pioneer; The International Indestructible Record Company; Edison Amberol; Edison Blue Amberol; Edison; Edison Gold Moulded. There is also a shop sales card for Sailing In My Balloon by Miss Florry Cooper. Echo All Over The World was a sales slogan for the Edison Bell company.

Although none of the above were manufactured in Norfolk this photograph still earns a place in my flickr set called Formerly Made In Norfolk because they represent a mystery about a long forgotten Norwich business.

When the phonograph first came to Britain in the late 19th Century only three companies were licensed to produce cylinders: Edison, Columbia and Red Star of Red Lion Street Norwich. The company was variously called Red Star and Norwich Star and I have never seen a phonograph cylinder or met anyone who has seen a phonograph cylinder produced by them. Except for their presence on a couple of lists of recordings, absolutely nothing is known of this pioneering Norfolk company.

This is obviously a call for information. If you can fill in the blank spaces please contact me.

I must acknowledge the help of Mr Edward Murray-Harvey and the late Douglas FitzPatrick for what little information I have.

Tin Lid

Tin Lid, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

..............When she had to retire from her position as cook at the "big house" she discovered that she could not survive on her savings. Nevertheless his Lordship and his family always looked out for her when they visited the workhouse on Boxing Day and made sure they had sorted out some special treat "just for her".

..............Members of her family carried on the tradition though as can be seen below