Patrick George Callaghan

It was a beautiful warm day when Marilyn and I, made a visit, along with thousands of others to Tiddenfoot Waterside Park for the 9th annual Linslade Canal Festival in Bedfordshire, England. After talking for a while to Janul, a singer, songwriter, author and publisher, beside her very interestingly decorated narrowboat that displayed much of her achievements on its decking, we were shown ’Raymond’ by ‘The Friends of Raymond’ the last wooden narrowboat built for commercial use in Britain and launched at Braunston in June 1958 by the Samual Barlow Coal Company. Throughout her working life, Raymond was captained by Arthur Bray along with his wife Rose and stepson Ernie Kendall. Working with motor-boat Roger, she carried coal from North Warwickshire to Dickinson’s paper mills and later on the last long distance carrying contract to Kearley & Tonge’s jam factory at Southall – “ the Jam ‘Ole Run “ Passing the ownership of Blue Line Carriers in 1962, Raymond ...

Interesting Movies From The Past… Patrick by Marilyn Bailey The Night Caller… 1965 ‘The Night Caller’…  Armitage Films. Still, after all this time, has some very scary moments! The title shot of The Thames is evocative! It features John Saxon  (later to work in the US), Maurice Denham, and Patricia Haynes -  I fell in love with her! … I just adore tall beautiful women… Later she appears in a ‘TV Steptoe’ Also has David Gregory and Romo Gorrara – two favorites of mine … Romo went on as a stunt actor -  both established hands from many a Butcher Film!  And of course the velvet soft tones of John Carson lend an air of quiet authority. (John retired to South Africa after many British Film appearances)  Very decisive is the performance of Alfred Burke, who from 1965-1975 became a household name as Frank Marker in the popular TV series of  Public Eye … Alfred is still with us… at the golden ...

The Electric Brae in Ayrshire, Scotland…   I remember being taken over The Electric Brae in Ayrshire, Scotland in 1970. It’s a gravity hill where automobiles appear to be drawn uphill whilst travelling down in some strange phenomenon! Known locally as Croy Brae, the road appears to run uphill, and yet, with your auto engine off, the brake off, and out of gear, your auto will move of its own free will… Up the hill! This experience I felt back in 1970 was truly uncanny and left me with a ever-lasting memory of  The Electric Brae.

Enid Stamp Taylor in Hyde Park…  To come close to her world… take the serpentine path across Hyde Park, and as you walk, think of her. She would have walked this path, just as you. She would have paused, and looked upon the golden yellow of spring daffodils and the racing heart of early bluebells. You are seeing what her eyes saw. The same birds are singing… and you are so close to her… that you can hear her silent feet over green fields, and taste the sweet smell of Hawthorn blossom that fills your soul… and when you come to a bend in the path, where she too, saw the first shimmer of April blue upon the lake, I know… that you, have only to turn your head… to see her walking beside you.

Enid Stamp Taylor… Actress Enid Stamp Taylor… A Profile Enid Stamp Taylor was born on Sunday the 12 th of June 1904 in the agreeable, late Victorian, seaside town of Whitley Bay in the North East corner of England. She was the only daughter of Army Major George Stamp Taylor and his wife Agnes. Some years later they had a son and named him Robin Geoffrey. But tragically, he died at the very young age of only ten years whilst away from home and at boarding school. Regretfully, the distraught parents separated in 1918, and Enid and her mother moved to London in order to stay with friends. It was here, that Enid’s interest in the stage began to blossom. She had reluctantly entered a beauty contest and then won the first prize of a part in the chorus line of a top West End show. The quality of her voice and exacting diction soon led her to stage training under Rosina Filippi, and in 1923 she toured in the ‘The Lady of the Rose’. During the thirties and forties, along with her agent Al Par...

Interesting People From The Past… Lord Edward Mauger Iliffe entered his father’s publishing business and during the First World War was appointed Controller of the Machine Tool Department at the Ministry of Munitions. In 1923 he became he became the Unionist member for Tamworth, he also owned provincial newspapers in addition to his London publishing house. He was born in 1877. Bobby Howes was an English stage comedian who began as a boy at the Battersea Palace, and later in a stage dancing team for two years, then spent three years with the Royal Gotham Quartette. He served in the First World War, later appearing in various revues and plays. He was born in 1895. Capt. Robert Falcon Scott was an Antarctic explorer who commanded the ship Discovery on the National Antarctic Expedition of 1901. He discovered and named Ross Island and King Edward VII Land. In 1910 he headed the British Expedition that reached the South Pole, but was forestalled by Amundsen. His body was found in 1912...

It was a very enjoyable day on Saturday when Marilyn and I, made a visit to Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire for their annual carnival. The Carnival Procession left Cedars Upper School at 12 noon passing through many of the town's pretty streets and ending at Parsons Close Recreation Ground where there were many stalls, sideshows, and a funfair. Despite some rain showers it was well attended with over ten thousand visitors who made good use of Fred's Flying Circus, the Mooncarrot puppet show, Junior Go-Karts, Zorbs Giant Balls, and much, much more! Leighton Buzzard's Carnival Queen Hazel Calvert was also in full attendance, along with the Carnival Princesses... A truly wonderful day.