Story Search Results

See you in Court #31

...tors were both giving out last minute instructions and conferring with their barristers on this and that. And then it was time; they called us in and we sat on either side of the room. Then an incredible thing happened – six people, each carrying a huge pile of paperwork and files, all walked in after us and put their loads onto a table at the front. It was unbelievable that so many letters had exchanged hands over the years – a small forest at least! The Judge looked at it all with distaste. Each barrister gave their speech informing the Judge what their client wanted and how they should go about it. After they had both finished and lots of paper shuffling...

Bacon's 'Essay on Gardens' # 56

...Francis Bacon was born in 1561 and was 1st Viscount St Alban. He wrote his Essay on Gardens in 1625, a year before his death of pneumonia. He was also Lord Chancellor of England under King James I and led the advancement of both natural philosophy and scientific method and his works remained influential even in the late stages of the Scientific Revolution.  The essays he wrote between, mainly, 1612 and 1625 were about anything from love and marriage to superstitions to gardens and any subject in between! Bacon's genius as a phrase-maker appears to great advantage in the later essays and the 'Oxford Dictionary of Quotations' includes no fewer than 91 quotations...

Midnight Pool Parties # 59

...Following on with the summer theme my mind drifted back to those halcyon days of summer when we were all young and lively and hanging out with a large group of friends.  By now Kev and I had left college and were both working but weekends were for fun and parties! Kev and the band were also getting a few gigs around the area and after singing with them for a little while I gave it up and let a more professional singer take over – I needed to work on my confidence first!   We still went to the local '76 Club' though to see live music – it was the start of the punk era and we saw the Sex Pistols there when they were just starting out – I have to say they...

MOTOR RACING DAYS #9

...nd not be bothered about winning; you would always get your ‘start’ money and he was satisfied with that.  Accidents meant expensive repairs! During the 1960s he raced Lotus Elites and I have never forgotten the time, aged just 5 years old, when he took me for a spin around Mallory Park.  My poor mother was worried to death and I have been terrified of speed ever since – can you imagine that happening today!  He would spend all his time tinkering about on the car once it was back home and then take it for a test drive around the village in the early hours of the morning while everyone was asleep – except for the local policeman who was always coming...

SKOOLS OUT FOR SUMMER! #13

...h I found both thrilling and frightening all at once.  Actual ticket for the Bull Fight I went to in 1974  The matadors came so close to the bull but I hated that they had to stab them first to make them angry – it seemed so cruel.  In Spain we went to a club one night to see some flamenco dancing and they pulled me up on the stage to join in which was fun, if unexpected!  We also went on a day trip to Morocco and walked round the Kasbah, which was the local market. Me at The Kasbah!    I remember hordes of poor children following us around trying to sell us things.  My dad noticed one of the stallholders smiling at me and said for...

RAGS TO RICHES! #15

...RAGS TO RICHES:  My parents were married in Derby in July 1952.  Mum was 19 and dad was 36 so quite a bit older.  They both lived in Derby and were very arty; my dad went to the Derby Sketching Club in his free time and my mum attended art college.  I’m not sure where they met but it was either at something art related or at a dance, as was usual in those days.  My dad was a sculptor by trade; I think his interest was sparked by seeing all the beautiful alabaster in Italian churches during the war.  After the war he set up his own business making alabaster lamps, bowls and candlesticks among other things (see header picture).  He would go to the alabast...