Organ Update 26- 10th March 2006
History in Harmony UPDATE # 26 Compiled by Boz Oram
boz@historyinharmony.com
www.historyinharmony.com
Welcome to Update Number 26 – and a big and hearty welcome to all of members on the Update. Please feel free to contact me at boz@historyinharmony.com and if others would like to join, then let them know and I’ll gladly send out a copy to them.
Thanks for your continued support and please keep passing this update around – New people are welcome and all you have to do is email me at boz@historyinharmony.com and I’ll do the rest. All links and websites have been checked out beforehand. They should all work just at the click of a button.
To Start Off With…
From Art Pindekker in the USA
USA Steam
Art reminds me that in the History in Harmony Update on the 4th November 2005, the re-enactment of the famous Fred Marriott speed challenge has taken place. Please go to the various websites featured later on in the write up.
Stanley Centennial at the Birthplace of Speed:
Thousands cheer as Rocket Racer rides again
ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – A crowd of more than 5,000 people lined the beach on Jan. 26 to cheer on the descendents of F.E. Stanley and Fred Marriott as they drove the replica of the Stanley Rocket Racer – a historic re-enactment of the world land speed record run of 127.659 mph, 100 years ago to the day. The Stanley World Land Speed Record Centennial at The Birthplace of Speed celebrated Marriott’s 1906 record mile run. The record held for four years, in an era when records were often falling by the hour. It is considered by many racing fans to be the most famous world land speed record in history. The event was hailed by Sue Davis, President and CEO of the Stanley Museum in Kingfield, Maine, as the most significant Stanley Steamer celebration ever and one of the largest gatherings of steam cars anywhere in the world. The event was presented by the City of Ormond Beach with local racing expert Dan Smith serving as Race Director.
About 50 steam cars were on hand, along with about a dozen historic pre-1912 gas-powered racers. “The Great Leslie,” the car driven by actor Tony Curtis in the 1963 movie, “The Great Race,” was also part of the festivities.
http://www.ormondbeach.org/news/Stanley/Stanley-BirthofSpeed.htm
For more event photos: www.birthplaceofspeed2006.com -
Official Event Site http://www.ormondbeach.org/news/Stanley/stanley-facts.htm
No doubt we’ll hopefully see a video/DVD of it all in due course – especially for those of us who would have liked to have been there and thanks to Art for reminding me of that great event. Full marks to the various clubs for staging it.
I am reminded elsewhere on this one
FOPS AGM Scarborough 2006. (to take place)
The annual general meeting of the Fair Organ Preservation Society http://www.fops.org/index.htm takes place at the end of the month and there are still places for the weekend available. Just let us know or fill in the leaflet sent out in the Key Frame. Others, who haven’t got the paper, then give us a call. Either 08700 113994 or email tours@historyinharmony.com The weekend is looking very packed with all manner of entertainment and there will be plenty of mechanical organs as well as quite a few steamy engines. Just let us know.
RRA AGM Basingstoke (just taken place)
The annual general meeting of the Road Roller Association http://www.r-r-a.org.uk/ took place this last week-end and proved to be a resounding success with the hotel in Basingstoke being the centrepiece and various tours out to firstly the Whitchurch Silk Mill, http://www.hampshirecam.co.uk/aug2905.html where President Steve Arrowsmith noticed that the momentum governors that control the speed of the mill are of exactly the same design as his 1880’s McLaren (so if I hear of the mill running totally out of control, I’ll know where to look!). A fascinating piece of Living architecture that is still able to do a full day’s work and you as an honorary member of the public, can buy the finished articles - in this case, silk (hence Silk Mill). Returning back to Basingstoke and a separate room, the AGM was held. A packed throng was there with healthy and lively debate amongst the membership and the committee.
This is of course the only way any society can survive, by the interaction of the members as well as the work that the committee put into the whole caboodle – all questions were very constructive and likewise all answers too.
Later on, Gary Wragg from Milestones Museum http://www.milestones-museum.com/ gave a rather in-depth talk on the products of Wallis & Steevens, Basingstoke, W. Tasker, Andover and finally Thornycroft of Chiswick, Basingstoke and finally Southampton. This company was quite a forerunner of modern achievements with road transport, designing a steam lurry back in the 1860’s and leaving it on the board due to the punitive and restrictive practices that our government had in places – namely the ridiculous Red Flag Act that restricted speeds of 4 mph in the countryside and 2mph in towns. Thank goodness this was repealed in 1896, but unfortunately 40 years of development was totally wasted because of an uninventive and totally absurd administration that ran the UK at the time. Fortunately there was an overseas market that didn’t have the same restrictions, but even then, the machinery built in this country for overseas couldn’t be properly tested!
The next day was a journey to the Milestones Museum; http://www.pinnock.com/see-the-photos/_showpics/?dir=milestones&picture Hampshire’s collection of artefacts, workshops and life in this industrious part of England, and a guided tour took place and showed the assembled throng plenty of unusual and rather exciting parts of this museum. A reconstructed series of living dioramas are here with Anna Valley and Taskers, Wallis and Steevens reconstruction, Thorneys and a whole host of houses, shops, period displays and a whole load of very helpful and costumed people doing demonstrations of social and political life.
Later on in the day, a journey from Basingstoke to Andover and the collection of steam at Derek and Sandra Marder’s yard. http://www.tvtec.info/ Unbeknown to the committee of the RRA, Derek had assembled many people to get all of the steamable engines working for the day so quite a surprise in store. No mean task either, as there are many different engines here at this old Contractor’s Yard, itself a relic from a bygone era. All sorts are here including what is thought to be the oldest Barbour Green tarmac spreading scrunge machine (technical term – maybe someone could be more precise please). Yes a veritable display of engines from all over the world, one fair organ, cakes, tea, coffee and plenty of enthusiastic people and joy of all joys – perfect weather being sunny, little wind and just a really pleasant day. One of those enthusiastic people from the Ox Drove decided to take the Ruston Lincoln Imp (an engine that worked locally within a mere three or four miles away from where we were standing) on a stone crushing demonstration. Many thanks to all who partook and again thanks to the RRA for their trust in History in Harmony once again.
From Nigel Kellington
Hello Boz.
Many thanks for the latest update, always full of fascinating stuff.
I come from Gainsborough home of the famous Field Marshall Tractors and other Marshall steam and diesel products.
Latest news of the old Marshall works is that work has just begun to refurbish the office block which features the Britannia statue and the remaining buildings on the site to reopen them as a retail park and office centre in a years time
Of the original 60 acre site about a third was demolished some years ago for a Tesco store and car park and then last year about half of what remains was sold for this new development. The remaining shops bordering the railway line where they used to ship out whole train loads of Field Marshall tractors is the only part still used as a manufacturing plant with a company called Wefco building pressure vessels in the ideally suited high roofed shops.
Until last year the Gainsborough heritage society used some of the office block to exhibit many pictures and artefacts from old Gainsborough and its industries, it has yet to be decided if they will be allowed back.
Best wishes
Nigel Kellington
From David Toyne in Australia
Here’s a bit more on the Marshall front…
Hi Boz,
Further to your last newsletter, you can still find Marshall's Buildings at
79 Farringdon Road in London. These were the offices about 1900. Their later
offices at 3 London Wall Buildings were demolished I assume during the
blitz, being in the square mile. Trust all is well in your world.
David attached a photo that he took in 2004 and a page from the 1900 catalogue and shows that there are not many changes, apart from the tenant! Notice in the old one the scale of the people in the street. When I first saw this I thought that it was artistic
licence, giving the impression of a large and impressive edifice. Now note
the pedestrian in the new photo, guess I was wrong!
Take care,
David Toyne
Due to the download time in receiving this email for those who do not have broadband, then I will send the copy to Roger West of the National Traction Engine Trust, hopefully for inclusion into their magazine Steaming. www.ntet.co.uk
From Peter Griffiths, the organ builder: website at http://www.griffithsorgans.co.uk
A middle-aged man bought a brand new convertible Porsche. He took off down the road, pushed it up to 160 mph and was enjoying the wind blowing through his thinning hair.
"This is great," he thought and accelerated to an even higher speed. But when he eventually looked in his rear-view mirror there was a police car behind him blue lights flashing.
"I can get away from him with no problem" thought the man and he floored it some more, flying down the road at over 200 mph to escape. Then he thought, "What the hell am I doing? I'm too old for this kind of thing" and pulled over to the side of the road, and waited for
the Police car to catch up with him.
The policeman pulled in behind the Porsche and walked up on the driver's side.
"Sir, my shift ends in five minutes and today is Friday the 13th.If you can give me a good reason that I've never heard before as to why you were speeding, I'll let you go."
The man looked back at the Policeman and said, "Last week my wife ran off with a Policeman and I thought you were bringing her back"
The Policeman said, "Have a nice day."
San Francisco 100 Years Later
Built on the back of the Gold Rush, San Francisco was a very wealthy city on the West Coast of America, with many large properties and businesses living in a synchronization with the human element, however all was to change on the 18th April 1906 at 05.20hrs when the plates on the San Andreas Fault sent a seismic wave, registering 8.3 on the Richter Scale, tearing through San Francisco at some 10,000 miles per hour, releasing an energy equivalent to 1000 nuclear blasts. The epicentre was some eight miles west from the city, but took a mere 2 seconds to reach the heart of the city. It appears that a fifth of the city was instantly destroyed, with buildings collapsing onto the inhabitants and fires breaking out in many areas. Panic and helplessness ensued as the worst area known as South of Market, had been built on reclaimed land due to prime land already being built upon, and as the earthquake struck, the boiling land quickly became quicksand and whole streets just disappeared. At 8.14am, three hours after the quake, the city was hit by a massive aftershock. According to journalist James Hopper, ‘It was as if there was something personal about the attack: it seemed to have a certain vicious intent, leaving yet more victims crushed or struck by falling masonry.’ It was the first of 27 aftershocks, each one slowing the already overstretched rescue effort.
Even though San Francisco had actually had six different fires during the Gold Ruush, apocopalyptic stories were widly being spread that a majoy holacaust had also hit other majoy cities throughout the USA, however it was the Mayor who took control – Euguene Schmitz who was about to be indited for corruption, thought that this might be a way of getting himself off the hook. Water supplies were nil due to ruptured water main pipes, gas and electric cables had been sited next to each other and with the fractures, sparkes ignited the gas – an unmitigated disaster ensued. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1906_San_Francisco_earthquake
Arnold Genthner had been a portrait photographer, but this was to be his greatest (and only due to the militia stopping him from saving his own photographs) work. He went to his film supplier and was given many films to shoot and it was almost a mission for him to take many quality photographs as he could, which is the reason why we have so many now, even though many have been retouched by Schmitz’s employee to give the impression that the quake damage was minimal. We also have an almost hour by hour account of what went on written by the hand of Nurse Lucy Fisher who thought that this event might be her last and needed to record everything from a non-political point of view, and James Hopper was the major newsreporter. http://www.sfmuseum.org/1906/06.html
A fire break was decided upon, but instead of using gunpowder, the rather more volitile black powder was used, which showered sparks everywhere and set light to more buildings – the indescriminate blasting was also bad as no-one had any idea what they were doing. It didn’t work, until fire chief and mayor came to blows and it was decided to put a fire break in at Van Ness Avenue, which was 4 miles long and the widest avenue in San Francisco. The fire was halted here, even though the burning side was razed to the ground. Some 27,000 buildings were destroyed, and official 678 people dies, however a more accurate estimate is nearer to be 6 thousand persons. After the fire, 225,000 people became homeless and the figure of $1 billion ($40 billion in today’s figures) was what it cost. It took $20 million dollars just to clear the streets before any building could commence and there was also the added problems of disease such as typhoid, meningitis and smallpox. Strangely enough, the first sight of public transport running was by the cable cars a mere 10 days after the earthquake.
Further details can be found on the Channel 4 television website
http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/c-d/cities04.html and a more in-depth write up will be found
STEAM IN SWINDON
I happened to be in Swindon the other weekend with Linda doing a bit of retail therapy in the Shopping Complex, when I toddled off into the Railway Museum to while away the time. Now I’ve been here before, but this time I thought that the whole experience was really terrific! The whole complex is just a maze of railwayana that is full of interest, but unlike masny exhibitions that are cold and lifeless, this place actually lives. You are taken into pattern shops, a foundry, and a whole host of different aspects of a railway workshop, with plenty of realistic mannequins looking like real people – in fact there are plenty of people meandering around and it is difficult to see the difference between the two.
Official Blurb from the Museum
STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway is housed in a beautifully restored Grade II railway building in the heart of the former Swindon railway works. The Museum tells the story of the men and women who built, operated and travelled on the Great Western Railway - 'God’s Wonderful Railway' - a railway network that, through the pioneering vision and genius of Isambard Kingdom Brunel was regarded as the most advanced in the world.
The story is brought to life with rare archive film footage, stories of ex-railway workers, hands-on exhibits, interactive displays, famous locomotives and GWR memorabilia. The museum is peopled by character figures life-cast from Swindon people - many of them former railway workers. Stepping into the Museum, visitors are taken into the world of the railway worker at Swindon, passing through a series of reconstructions, carefully assembled using original equipment, supported by video and interactive displays. STEAM is intellectually and physically accessible to all, providing an enjoyable and rewarding experience for visitors of all ages.
STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway
Kemble Drive
Swindon
SN2 2TA
Telephone 01793 466646 http://www.swindon.gov.uk/heritage/steam/steam
From Michael Woolf in New Zealand
Hi Boz.
Just a little nit picking: in the latest Update (#25) we have Mozart listening to
a musical box. Not quite. Sadly he died in 1791, quite a few years before
the first musical box was made.
Clearly barrel organs of various types including organ clocks were known
in the 18th century. However regarding musical boxes Dave Bowers'
"Encyclopaedia of Mechanical Music" simply states: "By the early 1800s the Swiss
were producing music boxes." There is also a reference to "combs made during
the closing years of the 18th century" and to simple musical movements in watches. Some argument exists as to the definitive origin of the musical movement as fitted in various objects and a clear statement appears in "Collecting Musical boxes" by Arthur Ord-Hume. " "The definitive evidence refers to the first use of the tuned steel tooth, forerunner of the comb, in 1796, and it is described in the records of the Society of Arts in Geneva dated February 15, 1796: "Mr. Decombas reports that Mr. Favre has found the means of establishing carillons without bells or hammers." Antoine Favre
was born in 1767 and died in 1828.
I hope this is helpful: it is offered not as nitpicking, rather as tooth plucking.
Cheers
Michael Woolf
NEW ZEALAND
Here’s a couple of websites to go on with –
in the UK http://www.deanorgans.co.uk/
and in the USA http://www.clocksandmusicboxes.com/limited/edition9.html
From Rudy Nijs in Belgium
Boz,
I found another Oram (from Canada). Have a look at: www.davidaoram.com. Well I have to say folks that I had to go onto this website. Seems like a man after my own heart. Have sent email to him, but as yet no reply, but here’s another web address http://www.steamwhistle.ca/ that might tickle you a bit. David exhibited here in 2005.
Please note that the Haarlem organ museum will conduct a special evening with music from only the 3 Mortier organs. It is the intention to play older books and I can testify that there are a lot them! A lot of books arranged by Schollaert, Peersman & Frans. The date is Saturday, March 11th. Bjorn Isebaert and I (and our spouses) will surely attend this one of a kind happening.
It sounds like a night of romance and passion for all who turn up and well done to the team at Haarlem for looking at different ways of getting more people into their fine dance hall. http://www.draaiorgelmuseum.org/engels.htm I also urge you to go even if you just want an evening out – they need funds to keep the collection going – there is plenty of beer and other bits and pieces. You will also be very welcome.
Organ greetings, Rudy
Thanks for that Rudy.
From Alan Beard in reply to a previous question
Hi Boz,
Have visited Budapest as forecast. I was unable to get to the station personally
but my son-in-law carried out a recce in the station (am bahnhof) at Kelenfold
(I forget the precise name) and he could see nothing helpful. Sorry about that.
Alan
Alan was replying to the Fowler Outposts (No relation to the John Fowler connected with the UK’s biggest bank raid?) located around the world and whether they still exist.
From Pamela Shaw in reply to a previous question
Thank you very much for your time yesterday at the ETOA Hoteliers Marketplace, it was indeed good to meet with you.
As promised I have attached some information regarding historical buildings. Things to do and also the recent purchase of White Star Ferry SS Nomadic. Further information for research can be obtained from the official BVCB website www.gotobelfast.com.
Kind regards,
Pamela
Pamela Shaw
Group Revenue Manager
Further details re Belfast and the SS Nomadic
SS NOMADIC
White Star ferry returns to Belfast
The last surviving ship connected to the Titanic is returning to Belfast but could be sold off again in 18 months if £7m is not raised for its restoration. The SS Nomadic, the last ship of the White Star Line, is to be brought back to the city that built it in 1911 after being bought for £170,000 of taxpayer’s money. In the 1960’s the luxury ferry was sold and used as a restaurant before being decommissioned at a dry dock in Le Havre in northwest France in April 2002. It failed to meet its expected auction price last year and there were fears it would be sold of as scrap. However, the NIO announced that it had bought the ship at an auction in Paris and will now return it to Belfast nearly 100 years after it left its shores.
For Pamela and Belfast, here’s a bit more to do with promoting Belfast.
Things to do in Belfast
However, you can see all the City’s many sights and landmarks including the colossal Harland and Wolff cranes, which were central in the building of the Titanic and the famous political murals on one of the bus tours. The city sightseeing open top bus tours leave Castle Place every hour from 10am-4pm while Mini-Coach conducts a twice-daily tour at 10.30am and 2pm. In the summer months (March-September) take a guided boat trip down the River Lagan to see where the Titanic was launched.
Take a trip to the stunning Belfast Castle and Cavehill visitor centre, set in the picturesque Cavehill Country Park and learn about the fascinating history of the castle For something a little different, the Ulster Folk and Transport museum at Cultra brings history to life, with exhibit buildings including furnished houses, mills, shops, schools and churches which illustrate how people in Northern Ireland lived in the past. The museum also boosts the only permanent Titanic exhibition in Northern Ireland. (11am-5pm).
View the rich displays of archaeology, ethnography, art, history and natural sciences at the Ulster Museum and art gallery in the Botanic Gardens, which in itself is well worth the visit (2pm-5pm). Enjoy a pint of Guinness in the beautifully preserved Victorian pub, the Crown Liquor Saloon that was built in 1849 and owned by the National Trust. 13.30pm-10pm. Study the working of the Lagan Weir and follow the rise of Belfast into today’s modern city at the Lagan Lookout. (2pm-4.30pm)
Belfast has a number of Beautiful churches. St. Anne’s Cathedral is one of the most magnificent cathedrals in Ireland. Designed by distinguished Irish architect, Sir Thomas Drew, in the Hiberno-Romanesque’ style, the Cathedral took 77 years to complete. Clonard Monastery in West Belfast has a rich and colourful history while St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Cathedral was recently restored to its former glory after substantial work and renovations.
For further information contact the Belfast Welcome Centre at 47 Donegall Place on 028 9024 6609.
Historic Buildings in Belfast
http://www.gotobelfast.com/index.cfm/level/page/category_key/197/Page_Key/428/Parent_Key/0/Content_Key/788/type/Page/PaGeName/Historic_Buildings_of_Belfast
As it was said once upon a time, long ago “Now for something completely different”
Sea cricket
The Brambles cricket match is a truly English, and wildly eccentric sporting event – regulated by the unyielding stopwatch of the tides. Every year a bank temporarily rises from the water near Cowes on the Isle of Wight as the spring tide makes the sea recede. Two cricket teams have less than an hour to play their traditional match before the sea rushes in again. http://www.islandsc.org.uk/ Held annually, the Island Sailing Club verses Royal Southern Yacht Club cricket match is held although the result is pre-ordained before the match begins, as the people left to make the food in the evening have to know beforehand. This event occurs around September each year and is one of the only times the Brambles bank becomes visible above the Solent.
The 2005's Brambles Cricket Match took place on Sunday 21st August and was won by the Royal Southern Yacht, therefore the Island Sailing Club WILL win it this year! No bets PLEASE!
Auction Houses
I was sent a brochure in the post the other day and I must admit that it was quite interesting to see what goes on in other people’s hobbies and what is worth purchasing. For further details, go to www.showtimeauctions.com for art, architectural, bottles, toys, movies, military, saloon, cowboy, railway, carousel, brothel, art deco, carousels, political, tins, tobacco! That’s also just a few of the categories on offer. Want anymore? Just click on the website. There are also links to other auction houses and you can bid via email or if you really want something, then go in person.
Superstar Status at the age of 80
One person to whom the world owes a great deal is Winnie-the-Pooh. Yes the champion of all ages and the bear with very little brain has managed to remain at the top of the pile for 80 years and all because Christopher Robin Milne was so attached to his beloved bear. His writer father, A A (Alan Alexander) Milne was inspired to write a verse about him called Teddy Bear and was then published as part of a series of poems called When we were very young, in Punch magazine on February 13th 1924. The published Methuen, published these poems, and wanted something similar to publish and this was when Winnie-the-Pooh was born. AAM decided on Pooh after a swan that was befriended by Christopher and Winnie after a black bear of the same name that had been the mascot of the 2nd Infantry Brigade during the First World War. The Ashdown Forest near the Milne family home inspired the hundred Acre Wood at Cotchford Farm in the Sussex Village of Hartford.
A special 80th anniversary edition of Winnie the Pooh illustrated by E H Sheppard is set to be a major sell-out next month (March) and is Disney’s second most lucrative character. This started as just a Pooh cuddly toy, but has grown into £3.2 billion retail sales where the brand has been extended in every direction that it can be done from bedding, tableware to seasonal decorations. The first most valuable character of Disney? Well have a guess… got two ears, a high-pitched voice, and a pair of red shorts… still not sure….. well its Mickey Mouse and he grosses in £3.3 billion! I suppose that £0.1 billion becomes academic at that figure! Further details from this website
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnie_the_Pooh or http://www.winniethepoohbear.net/
I couldn’t find a suitable Disney website for other information on Winnie the Pooh.
Following on from last edition’s Einstein bit; it appears that (and thank you for the information Mary) Albert Einstein was unable to speak fluently until he was actually aged nine. His parents it appears thought that he might have been retarded. Just shows you what hidden depths we all have. You’ve just got to look a bit further or maybe very deeply sometimes.
As I’ve now gotten myself onto the subject of useless facts, here’s a few more.
The Niagara Falls http://www.niagarafrontier.com/ Canadian side and http://www.niagara-usa.com/ from the other US side of the border. The falls are famous for tightrope walking, with the Great Blondini doing all sorts of antics above the falls themselves, http://www.guter.org/blondinis.htm however another fad was to go over the falls in a barrel and I believe that many tried this little jape - it is therefore with sadness to say that out of all of them, only seven survived the ordeal.
Being Blond
My son is growing a beard and according to all of the experts, a blond beard grows faster than any other colour beard. Can’t wait to see him looking like Merlin http://www.britannia.com/history/biographies/merlin.html and maybe I can have any hair that’s left to cover up my landing strip on the top of my head!
Nuclear Blast
Bearing in mind that many leaders are intent on ego flexing and testosterone flashing, then this little snippet might be of interest to them.
Scorpions http://www.museums.org.za/bio/scorpions/ are able to withstand 200 times more nuclear radiation than humans, but that bit of interesting info won’t be needed will it?
Tulips from Amsterdam (or really in the bulb fields)
Back in the 17th century, one of the major currencies of the Netherlands were tulip bulbs and of course Holland is still famous for these delightful plants. Holland's number one tulip attraction is Keukenhof, or if you can’t understand Dutch then go to this other website which is more user friendly to us English speaking people http://www.stsite.com/Keukenhof/pres0000.php?directory=.¤tPic=6 The 80-acre Keukenhof, in Lisse, displays more than 7 million blazing tulips and other flowers. This annual event, which takes place March 24-May 20, attracts close to 800,000 visitors, so if you plan on seeing the tulips, act now (remember, tulips will likely peak between mid-April and mid-May). While in Lisse, pay a visit to the Black Tulip Museum, which covers the history and growing of this most desirable bulb. http://www.holland.nl/uk/holland/sights/tulips-history.html gives you the history.
Picasso
It appears due to his uncle not listening to the midwife, then the art world would be a lot sadder and a less diverse place than it is now. Pablo Picasso http://www.picasso.com/ was thought to be stillborn and was actually abandoned by the midwife just after his birth. (Believe you me, when searching for a website some were just quite wild and even too much for me to sort out). This one above is fine and will lead you onto other surreal types.
Hamlet
Do you remember those lovely and cleverly humoured Hamlet Cigar adverts that took place many years ago, sometimes with a legendry Tudor figure in them?
Well I have news for you; Sir Walter Raleigh’s black greyhound was called Hamlet. http://www.btinternet.com/~richard.towers/jim/raleigh.html
Tobacco, Hamlet and bringing it to Europe – oh what a tangled web we weave and here we are in the UK, just about to loose our identity even further by taking away even more liberties and choice, by banning tobacco smoke http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Raleigh
Penultimate
Now, being one of those terribly lucky people who have difficulty in spelling, I have to look at every word as an individual lump (so to speak) and am then able to dissect it and understand it from a totally different point of view. As I write, the red lines appear underneath a word and I try and alter them to the correct spelling…….. or is it?
I used a word earlier – Gotten, which it seems on the surface is an American corruption of got, is in fact a Middle English word and comes from the Old Norse geta. Shakespeare uses the word in Henry VI Part Three, which was first printed in 1623 and the Concise Oxford Dictionary of word Origins explains to us that the clipped version of gotten to got dates from 1600, although 18th century Anglo-Irish author Jonathan Swift and Scottish author, Sir Walter Scott both used the word gotten. Finally, it might appear that the words begotten, forgotten and ill-gotten are relics from this time, they are actually compound words from the Germanic gietan and they pre-date the Middle English gotten and are classed as Middle English! Helpful? I hope not, but when someone says that your English is wrong, say it is Middle English and is the correct tern to use!
And finally, a small few words that may help you on your way to recovery…
“The key to failure is to try and please everybody”
Oh how so many of us have fallen into that little chestnut!
Inheritance Tax
There are supposedly two things that are certain in this life and one of them is having to pay tax. Now whether you agree with that or not, is of course your choice but there are ways of reducing your liability. Personal taxation is really one of those areas that you need to have someone to help you on your way, pointing you in the right direction, but here in the UK, there are a number of ways of minimising the liability.
I’m guessing that there are also ways in other countries too, but I would say, it is best to go and discuss the possibilities with a professional. I will point out that one of the most unfair taxes here in the UK is a thing called Inheritance Tax. Grossly unjust, especially as the dead people being taxed have already been taxed throughout their lives and then the beneficiaries have to pay even more tax.
Of course there are other things to take into account – that being the threshold that tax is payable to the Government. It also means that most people’s biggest asset – their house is also only part of their estate, therefore anything else is added into the equation such as big toys, collections, jewellery and any manner of collected chattels.
Here’s a selection of Inheritance Tax charges around the world:
Country Tax Threshold (£) Max rate of tax Min rate of tax
Japan 246,090 50% 10%
USA 1,144,128 46% 18%
UK 275,000 40% 40%
France 68,413 40% 5%
Spain 10,916 34% 7.65%
Germany 140,247 30% 7%
Netherlands 1,276 27% 5%
Belgium 0 27% 3%
Ireland 319,302 20% 20%
Norway 20,807 20% 8%
Greece 13,682 20% 8%
Finland 0 16% 10%
Denmark 22,260 15% 15%
Austria 1,505 15% 2%
Switzerland 0 5.8% 0%
Apart from the UK, Ireland and Denmark, all other countries mentioned have a sliding scale. For example in Germany the tax starts hitting all estates worth more than £140,247, but at just 7%. The top rate of tax does not fall into effect until the estate reaches more than £2 million. In France, the inheritance tax starts at 5% and only estates worth £1.5 and more are hit by the top rate of 40%. Although USA has a high rate of tax at 46%, the rate only applies to estates worth more than £1,144,128. Many other countries have realised that this tax is totally unjustified and have seen the sense and abolished it completely in countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Sweden, Portugal, Italy, and the Czech Republic. In fact, it seems that to collect the tax on smaller estates, the costs actually outweigh the figure that comes in after the legal and political profession lay claim.
I written a short synopsis about Inheritance Tax and it will be published over a few Updates so that you can certainly get an idea on how to reduce or even remove completely the tax burden to your beneficiaries.
Of course, these words will be totally useless if you actually want to pay tax to a faceless bureaucrat, but I guess you want to know more.
Update of the Tours from History in Harmony
Funnily enough, in the last edition, I put a few of our tours into the Update and then received a small number of emails asking me what tours we are doing this year! Well, I’m not too sure whether that was a genuine mistake or that I may have confused you too much, so I have shortened and paraphrased it down for those who felt the words too long.
We have tours going to
Ø Dordrecht in Stoom and KDV Arnhem Open Day
Ø The French Festival in Les Gets, which also has excursions into Switzerland and Germany,
Ø The rather sumptuous Carousel Tour.
Ø A musical trip to Berlin, unfortunately (or maybe not if you like football) during the World Cup,
Ø Romania and its fantastic country
Ø A fairy tale tour in Germany.
Ø Slovakia’s transport plus wine, food and amazing scenery
Ø Modellbau Bodensee in Germany, plus model engineering tours and a whole load more. Please go to the website for further information www.historyinharmony.com
Taking One Tour (or a small part of it)
One of the tours, is going to the excellent festival held in Les Gets, way up in the beautiful French mountains – at this time of the year (winter) it is full of skiing, snow and bright outfits, however in the summer a music festival takes place throughout the town. The tour doesn’t stop there either because just a few kilometres down the road into another country, another festival takes place on a tri annual basis (last one 2005) in the birthplace of many a fine musical instrument… Waldkirch, which is in the heart of the Black Forest. Now under normal circumstances, this place is ram-jam with organs from all around Europe, which is terrific and because of the variety of organs there is a massive conglomeration of people of all different nationalities. However when it comes to actually meeting any of the inhabitants, you have little chance…….. UNTIL NOW! Waldkirch is renowned throughout the world for its organ building and still is today and you will be able to see young and old instruments AND talk to the builders as well.
Spotlight this edition is the workshops of Stefan Fleck and Jaeger and Brommer
I can only speak about what I have seen at the past shows, but both factories welcome the public at large into their workshops and homes with open arms.
Starting with Stefan, his workshop is right next to the railway station and you can see that in days gone by, this yard was a haven for sending the town’s wares around Germany and elsewhere. What better place to be then with your workshop right there in the hub of things. During the Waldkirch festival (held every three years), this area becomes a bar, entertainments pavilion, exhibition hall and food parlour. It is also a great place to just go and sit and relax to the music, with a glass of beer and food. This year, as a change to normal proceedings, there was a rock and roll band, that played with the Varder Ruth fair organ, plus a stage for singing, plus a whole host of excellent evening’s entertainment, and that’s without the organ building! In fact I will send you straight onto Stefan’s website – although written in German, there are plenty of photographs which make the site self-explanatory
web http://fleck-orgelbau.de/ email info@fleck-orgelbau.de
About a third of the way around town in an anti-clockwise direction, is the workshop of Jaeger and Brommer. Again, during the festival the family takes control and lays on a beer and a food garden and another entertainment’s extravaganza plus a whole host of organs dotted around the yard and workshop including the largest travelling Carl Frei organ. Again our hosts are generous with their hospitality and you are able to visit their workshop seeing whatever they may be building or rebuilding at that time. Not consigned to just making mechanical organs, they also restore manual playing instruments and the various floors have been cut out of the workshop to accommodate a fully built up instrument! Email: jaegerbrommer@t-online.de
Internet: http://www.jaegerbrommer.de/
Amazingly for a town, there is also the Town Museum which houses plenty of original instruments and has commissioned the re-building of the ex Black Forest Duncan Price Gavioli. It is such a pleasure to see that a town also realises where its heritage comes from and embraces it 100%. Elsewhere, for those with a curious mind, there is the local cemetery, which also has the graves of Carl Frei, Ruth and a whole host more people connected with this hobby of ours. www.elztalmuseum.de
Lets go to New Zealand!
Even more Burrells
Why not go to New Zealand for the Burrell themed rally to be held at the Showground at Rangiora near to Christchurch on the 25 – 26 March 2006. In attendance will be the 5 engines that came from New Zealand to the UK and stayed on their holidays, as well as the greatest gathering of Burrell steam engines from all over the country (both North and South Islands, Australia and the UK). There will hopefully be some 30 Burrell engines, plus about the same amount of other makes of engine there with associated equipment like threshing mills, chaff cutting etc. The following weekend, there will be a 45 mile road run of about 40 engines taking part including Burrell Quo Vadis from our Northern Hemisphere.
I am told that there will be a professionally made video film of the rally and run and I am told via the grapevine that some 300 people are travelling out to Kiwiland for this rather special event. There are still places available for more to go. For those who haven’t been to this part of the world, you’ll find the Kiwi hospitality second to none – the country is similar in some respects to the UK as it was when people were nice! Weather is getting to the end of their summer so nice balmy days and nights. Beer, in many bars is bought in pitchers, so to all of those who want to spend their NZ Dollars; this is the best way to do it. http://palmerston-north-clubs.nzld.com/threshing2.html and for Bill Clarke http://www.nzine.co.nz/features/threshing1_updated.html?Rcat=Regions&Tcat=Canterbury_South
For a detailed description of the event go to http://www.rangiorashow.co.nz/ and for other events in New Zealand, go to http://www.steam.co.nz/comingevents.htm or http://www.webtech.co.uk/traction/links.htm
The Teddy Reed Collection
I spoke about the excellent collection at Teddy Reeds place in Amersham recently and have found a website that might help to get you there. Funnily enough, when I went there last time I found to my delight, that there were many faces that I had never seen before, many of whom were people who had just popped into the collection from outside the preservation scene. http://www.silcocks.com/teddy_reeds.htm I also have to apologise to Jorgen Roseland from Denmark, for pointing him in the wrong direction. The address is No 28 Plantation Road NOT No 1 Plantation Road! Apologies to Jørgen but good to finally meet up face to face.
The Teddy Reed Collection of Mechanical Organs
Not wanting to wish the months away, but ace organ builder and music arranger Kevin Meayers has sent me next year’s dates for the Amersham Collection Open Days.
Starting off the new season with a bang –
5th November and Guy Fawkes 401st anniversary.
10th December and both of these are of course in 2006.
2007 OPEN DAYS
14th January
18th February
18th March
and finally 15th April
Remember you can still go to the open days this year’s season and if you haven’t been before, then I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised with what is there – good hospitality, nibbles and a packed day of music and conversation. Just click the above website
Steam Apprentice Club
Believe it or not, this IS the only club devoted entirely to our up-and-coming generation of preservationists – in fact, I do not know of any other national club or society in the world that is devoted solely to making sure that we have skilled engineers and enthusiasts in the future. The Chairman is now Kevin Munn and the previous one, John Durling, who did sterling work in carrying on this unique band from Sylvia Dudley, has now become the President (so no escaping from it John!). The magazine is now in the realms of a glossy, so the qualities of photographs are improving at every available opportunity. Why do I write about the SAC? Well without them and other like-minded people, this hobby of ours dies – certainly the engineering part of it. There is a website to go to which is sponsored by the National Traction Engine Trust - http://www.ntet.co.uk/Sac/sac/
They put together a packed series of driving days and here’s a shortened list of venues:
22/23 April Fengate Farm 4/5 resident engines, plus others
22/23 April Old Warden The flagship of the SAC +greatest variety of engines
23 April Bursledon Old Brick Works with plenty of engines
13th May Dingles Living steam museum, workshop and engines
28 July Flockborough The Friday holds main arena for the day for the SAC
19 August Henstridge About 14 engines, plus hands-on work
16 September Holly Bank Driving plus breakfast on a shovel.
7 October Brantham Hall Local engines running in the grounds.
For further details, please contact the Chairman of the club Kevin Munn, who will be able to furnish you with better details. ALL youngsters, of all ages (the youngest being 6 months old at the moment – or maybe a bit more by now!) are welcome, and certainly some great friendships have started here. It is also a great way of getting to know new people who are interested in the same subject as you and bearing in mind that this email goes to most corners of the Globe, parents of overseas children might find that belonging to this society could benefit your children when you come over to the UK. In fact, the youngsters will already have made friends beforehand and it will give them something to look forward to whilst they are here.
Interested? Well the membership secretary is the ever-charming John Cook who lives at Dolfarni. Church Lane, Kirkby la Thorpe, Sleaford, Lincolnshire NG34 9NU and to join this merry band of our future, the annual membership fee (for the UK) is a ridiculously low figure of £5. Overseas rates I guess will depend upon postal charges to whichever country you live in.
The Chairman is Kevin Munn and his email is kevin@munnsteam.freeserve.co.uk . and vice chairman is Elaine Massey elainrmassey@aol.com The Club is now well into adulthood, passing its 21st anniversary a while ago. Long may its success continue and hopefully more young people will join up and keep this unique club thriving.
Art, Design and Purpose
On the 5th March 1936 at 16.35hrs, Joseph Summers pumped the wheels back into the superstructure as he took off into the history books by flying the first Spitfire. In fact the plane nearly didn’t make it back as the pilot nearly crashed it upon landing as he almost forgot to pump down the wheels on his return back to land! Summers was totally in awe with this flying machine and couldn’t speak too highly of it. This prototype was such an improvement on previous aircraft, but to the designer R J Mitchell, this wasn’t enough and he totally redesigned the plane again to increase its speed to better the original specification!
Built originally by Supermarine in Southampton, the plane has a total iconic status of no other as being the aircraft that helped save the United Kingdom from the tyranny of the period*. There were 24 different variants of the plane as pilots expected more and more power, speed, weight capability, but nominally the output was around 2,200hp and well over 8,000 of the 22,000 were constructed in Southampton alone. Funnily enough when Supermarine was bombed twice in one week, it took only two days to carry on building the plane because garages, laundry’s, bus stations were used to construct the various components and then be put together like a kit of parts. The aircraft had been a development from the Schneider Trophy flying races and Mitchell’s revolutionary entrant had won the trophy with flying colours. It was however the very pompous and egotistical administration that didn’t look to all of the signs to see that an uprising was inevitable in Europe. It was therefore, without a penny of support that this plane even managed to take off. It was the foresight of private individuals, including Rolls Royce who stumped up the capital needed for research and development to protect a country! (You all know my thoughts about politics here, so no need to labour the point).
Rolls Royce came up with the Merlin engine that was at that time, just on the drawing board. Working directly with each other, the Merlin prototype was built and it was at the end of WW2 that the Griffon engine was used to increase its power even more. Cleverly, this craft could take off in short areas and on grass which made its deployment a lot easier to use than many other later types of machine – mind you, to pump up the wheels with one hand and fly the plane with the other hand, made taking off a wee bit hair-raising, however the kudos that this aircraft had(s) was remarkable. Even though the Hurricane was built in greater numbers, to be shot down by a Spitfire was far more credible than anything else and there were cases where the opposition pilots would say that they had been floored by a Spitfire, even though the nearest one would have been at least 200 miles away! Such was the respect of the thing of beauty.
On Sunday 5th March 2006, many thousands of people from Southampton, including many men and women who worked on the Spitfire, now in their 80’s gathered in Mayflower Park watched as five Spitfires did an emotional flypast along Southampton Water. At precisely 16.45hrs, the five aircraft appeared across the dock area with their familiar and powerful engines breaking the city’s silence, with the waiting crowds breaking into a spontaneous applause almost knowing that this moment of five Spitfires flying in formation may never be repeated. *Amongst the fliers, was Alex Henshaw, the chief test pilot throughout most of the Second World War for the Spitfire, now in his 93rd year of life flew in the two-seater repeating his distinguished career when he was based at Castle Bromwich in the West Midlands. His words were all the more poignant as he remembered many of the pilots that gave their lives in saving the democracy of this country and with these words “ If the pilots who flew these aircraft could walk through the towns and villages of today, their thoughts may be ‘somewhere along the line, we have been betrayed”.
To the Few.
As a short postscript, RJ Mitchell, or as I found out the other day Reg Mitchell, suffered from Bowel Cancer and was advised to rest. He was however one of those honourable persons who put his country before his own life. When Mitchell died aged only 42 in 1937, he knew that the RAF had ordered a number of Spitfires, but according to his son Dr Gordon Mitchell, he would have been amazed to know that so many more had been built by the finish. (I remember the Spitfire and Queen Mary trailer being sold at the Tasker Sale in 1968 in about February time for I think £6,600 (Guineas), to some Scottish Enthusiasts. I would hazard a guess that they either still have it and are totally broke or have sold it on and are extremely wealthy!)
Indeed, Mr Mitchell managed to complete the design and execution of this magnificent aircraft against all odds, (even against Government!) but was also working on a much larger aircraft that was designed to be far more efficient and faster that anything else ever conceived. Had it been put into production, would the atrocities of WW2 been shortened? Who knows, but RJ Mitchell was a remarkable designer and has a sculpture in art, design and purpose that is held in the highest esteem throughout the world - such was this man’s integrity.
The eight minute flight across Southampton Water was fitting tribute to RJ Mitchell and the authorities are being asked to rename Southampton International Airport, where the original test flight took place, the RJ Mitchell Airport, as many feel that some form of recognition for the Spitfire and RJ Mitchell, would be a good mark of respect.
http://www.spitfiresociety.demon.co.uk/ even though it is 10 years late, but as nothing has changed this one is therefore OK http://www.deltaweb.co.uk/spitfire/ For RJ Mitchell http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/local_heroes/g_m/mitchell.shtml or http://www.rjmitchell-spitfire.co.uk/ and finally http://freespace.virgin.net/john.dell/spitmich.htm
Sent in from Warwick Offredi - the Military Vehicle Trust
Hi All
This is one of the best items I have ever seen on eBay check it out. You must read the whole description.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4613207988
Regards
Warwick
Yes I totally agree – just click onto the website and I’m sure you’ll have a chuckle
Previous Updates? – then look no further
Go to forumer.com/" target="_blank">http://organ.10.forumer.com/ and click onto Boz’s Box.
For all of the previous Updates, James and Nick have put them onto their website which is run by Nick Williams and James Dundon. A very good interactive website that is looked after by two of our up and coming generation of enthusiastic people and I must say the site is extremely professional and well run. Good luck to them and I look forward to seeing them both shortly.
On odd occasions there is also the opportunity of using their state of the art technology – ie Nick on the odd occasion, puts a webcam into his workshop and you can see him working on whatever he is doing at the time.
Finally
Thank you to all of the subscribers for this edition – I already have a host of articles from Graham MacKenzie, Mark Jefford, me, Brechje Manschot, Joby Carter plus a few members’ prompts. www.historyinharmony.com
That’s it for the time being. As per usual, all of the websites have been tested to see whether they work. As you might be aware, all you have to do is double click onto the website and hopefully the hyperlink will take you through to your chosen destination. Good luck and if you have any real gems then pass them on.
If you have any interesting news, can you please supply me with it - all subjects are welcome to be discussed. If you feel that your subject isn’t being covered fully, then please let me know and/or please send in an article to cover it.
If you want to use the general material, please do, but please mention History in Harmony as the source and give the web address www.historyinharmony.com please contact me on article use to ask permission from author.
As ever, should you wish to not be included on this update, then please let me know at boz@historyinharmony.com and I’ll remove you forthwith from the address on my mailing list. Conversely, if you know of any other people who would enjoy this email, then please get them to contact me at the same address.
COURTESY NOTICE
Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Update Compiler. It may be on occasions, necessary to edit material. In such cases utmost care will be taken to ensure that alterations or omissions do not alter the context of the subject or create a misleading or false representation. As a matter of courtesy, the author(s) will be consulted about major alterations.
With kind wishes
Boz and Linda, plus all of the team at History in Harmony.
The email address for all correspondence is boz@historyinharmony.com
For all tours tours@historyinharmony.com
Website www.historyinharmony.com
tel +UK (0) 8700 113994
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