tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24547583030454093772024-03-12T20:57:46.710-07:00The History UsheretteSarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.comBlogger203125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-67900751445786363102023-11-17T11:17:00.000-08:002023-11-17T11:17:28.315-08:00Not Phyllis Calvert<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbJ3ccxFgPl-vcin6hyphenhyphenbq3nBMh5YGUdiV3YBbfntOL_euZP6CD_wbKmcCgMjEq1DckifzMmNxxxxotR3XpWcJ-ZpDXMImxKzBXpczKGg29NAT1j8ZABAiMvgHDVxT_9AFAnsbozyhi7pI8ElfQ7xrlJIWyXLgk8IzhFpzLdN-U4HtUeT1J5B7aJte5LU/s1865/Screenshot_20231117-191253_Chrome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1865" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbJ3ccxFgPl-vcin6hyphenhyphenbq3nBMh5YGUdiV3YBbfntOL_euZP6CD_wbKmcCgMjEq1DckifzMmNxxxxotR3XpWcJ-ZpDXMImxKzBXpczKGg29NAT1j8ZABAiMvgHDVxT_9AFAnsbozyhi7pI8ElfQ7xrlJIWyXLgk8IzhFpzLdN-U4HtUeT1J5B7aJte5LU/w588-h301/Screenshot_20231117-191253_Chrome.jpg" width="588" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Phyllis-Calvert-Sarah-Miller-Walters-ebook/dp/B0CD7XXK9R/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=0hQtX&content-id=amzn1.sym.3413293e-3815-4359-96ba-1ec5110e0b30&pf_rd_p=3413293e-3815-4359-96ba-1ec5110e0b30&pf_rd_r=143-5418824-5236266&pd_rd_wg=8TY2B&pd_rd_r=0f7b274a-916b-4e5a-b595-ae63952e0f79&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk">Download this short story about a real life mix up involving Phyllis Calvert</a><br /></p>Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-71726480459826820632019-09-13T02:55:00.001-07:002019-09-13T02:57:08.735-07:00The Gossipers' Association - Cicely Courtneidge and Thorley Walters<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HoqLp4ox79U/XXtmPgyBxbI/AAAAAAAAFiA/MZYBcMTF1PYLF4gxq9yMdhqJhhnqisjUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/41EmgN3olTL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HoqLp4ox79U/XXtmPgyBxbI/AAAAAAAAFiA/MZYBcMTF1PYLF4gxq9yMdhqJhhnqisjUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/41EmgN3olTL.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">At
the close of 1947, Cicely Courtneidge took her production of "Under The
Counter" to tour Australia and New Zealand. The tour lasted for a year and
she was accompanied at all times by her leading man, Thorley Walters. What was
the relationship between the pair? This extended short story explores this,
using Cicely's autobiography and contemporary newspaper reports as a string of
clues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Extract:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">She said a headmistress style goodnight to each of
the girls as they filed past, but as the surfing girl took her leave Cicely
stopped her with a touch of the shoulder. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“A word, please.” She indicated that the girl should
follow her into her own dressing room. The door was closed behind them and
Cicely began immediately. “I absolutely forbid fraternisation between the lead
cast and the supporting cast and dancers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There will be no days at the beach with Mr Walters. Do you understand?”
Cicely’s manicured fingers, which had been thrust in the face of the young girl
dropped to her hips as she awaited response. She was almost holding herself
upright. She was unconcerned about what the girl’s response might be. There
were hundreds of dancers in Sydney anyway. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The girl, first incredulous, then rebellious,
thought before she finally spoke.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“But Thor…Mr Walters…wants to learn how to surf,
that’s all. My brother will teach him, not me…it’s all quite respectable, I
assure you Miss Courtneidge.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Oh no, no, no. I might be an old woman in your
green little eyes, but I was on stage when I was a teenager. I know exactly
what you’re up to and I forbid it. If I catch you approaching any of the male
members of the cast again you will be dismissed. I’m giving you a second chance
to prove that you are not predatory, merely idiotic. You will tell Mr Walters
that your brother is unable to give him lessons after all – you can make up
your own reason why. Do you understand?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The girl reached for the door handle, her cheeks
flamed pink. “Yes, Miss Courtneidge.” Should have been her response. Things
could have carried on as before. But she wasn’t the placid type. “Stick your
second chance up your fat backside!” was what she actually hissed in return.
She may have tossed an “old bag” over her shoulder as she made her way out, but
Cicely couldn’t be sure.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07XTHJJ2Z/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+gossipers+association+sarah+miller+walters&qid=1568365834&s=gateway&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Click here to download the Kindle edition</a></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1692721747/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=the+gossipers+association+sarah+miller+walters&qid=1568368251&s=gateway&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Click here to download the print edition</a></i></b></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y7XAuEaMsTU/XXtnaTk8RqI/AAAAAAAAFiM/7NxHuF_BaWY4imJ34kgnbwUh8EVg0e9JgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/4c168e1952d7deafab44ff27312458ae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="564" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y7XAuEaMsTU/XXtnaTk8RqI/AAAAAAAAFiM/7NxHuF_BaWY4imJ34kgnbwUh8EVg0e9JgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/4c168e1952d7deafab44ff27312458ae.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Scene from "Under the Counter"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-28814605963979759382019-07-18T03:49:00.000-07:002019-07-18T03:49:05.205-07:00Myrtle Bagot's Pages Part 5 - A Revoluntionary Cake<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Myrtle
Bagot’s Pages</span></b><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Chatelaine
of Milford Station buffet explains all about our mid 20<sup>th </sup>century
diet.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NwgJDD72LQ8/XTBMxKxm4yI/AAAAAAAAFRs/ttmnsWMDyX0P01vaK_zeZx4x6JuhHetBgCLcBGAs/s1600/BE32_150wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="450" height="237" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NwgJDD72LQ8/XTBMxKxm4yI/AAAAAAAAFRs/ttmnsWMDyX0P01vaK_zeZx4x6JuhHetBgCLcBGAs/s320/BE32_150wm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. I’m Alright
Jack (1959)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
was very interested to see a film called “I’m Alright Jack” because it was
about those trade unionist type people. It always fascinates me to see that those
with funny ideas, quite different to your own, live similar lives to normal
people. It was pleasing to notice that despite the Kite household being a
socialist one, they still appreciate the value of a good cake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Mrs
Kite knows what a kitchen is for, and despite being severely tried by her
almost Communist husband she can still find it in her to bake a solid cake to
have on the table at teatime. That is what I call British resilience, despite
all that talk about Russia. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iTZTz2_aWcY/XTBNlnIOg3I/AAAAAAAAFSA/UU0q2Qv8D4UK6SxA1OTi-57hR_hI_VBsACLcBGAs/s1600/Irene%2BHandl%2B%2BI%2527m%2BAll%2BRight%2BJack%2B%25281959%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="160" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iTZTz2_aWcY/XTBNlnIOg3I/AAAAAAAAFSA/UU0q2Qv8D4UK6SxA1OTi-57hR_hI_VBsACLcBGAs/s1600/Irene%2BHandl%2B%2BI%2527m%2BAll%2BRight%2BJack%2B%25281959%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Now
I wanted to find a good recipe for a substantial cake, that might see you through
any strike or revolution. I found rather an interesting one in my Main Cookery
Book that I thought would suit a Socialist because it contains a tin of soup. </span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Yes, you heard me quite correctly. Tomato soup to be exact.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Normally
for my contributions to the History Usherette, I get Beryl to copy out the
recipe and pass it on. But the Usherette said to me “Mrs Bagot, I don’t think
anyone is going to quite believe that this recipe has really been published.
You’ll have to take a photograph of it.” I do see her point. So I borrowed Mr
Godby’s Box Brownie and he took the film to Boots. Here it is:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jsrHXQrGRyQ/XTBM9bFCRoI/AAAAAAAAFR0/CNjq8ZlLfoEPRBw2kyf418E3b2yqCl6oACLcBGAs/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jsrHXQrGRyQ/XTBM9bFCRoI/AAAAAAAAFR0/CNjq8ZlLfoEPRBw2kyf418E3b2yqCl6oACLcBGAs/s320/011.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_CTUIej22Zk/XTBM9XKs0QI/AAAAAAAAFRw/FCx_DfFbBb8TJR4ypRUZB8cZd-gwwJwqACLcBGAs/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_CTUIej22Zk/XTBM9XKs0QI/AAAAAAAAFRw/FCx_DfFbBb8TJR4ypRUZB8cZd-gwwJwqACLcBGAs/s200/012.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Make
of that what you will. I for one will not be baking it but if you are left-wing
then it might be quite alright for you to try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m going to go and make some Bath buns, which I’m sure Winston
Churchill would approve of. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01J7Q8PRM/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1" target="_blank">The History Usherette has written a book of short stories inspired by the work of Joyce Grenfell, who never knowingly ate soup and cake in the same mouthful. Click here to purchase for the price of a tin of Heinz.</a>Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-31065904732140794402019-07-11T06:16:00.001-07:002019-07-16T03:20:36.034-07:00Myrtle Bagot's Pages Part 4 - Green Pea Puffs<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Myrtle
Bagot’s Pages</span></b><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Chatelaine
of Milford Station buffet explains all about our mid 20<sup>th </sup>century
diet.</span></b><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DZpV-a8DdJM/XSc2O7KNSaI/AAAAAAAAFNQ/EXnaEk-x6AQBdvjwy7oo_BL7z7qmNvptgCLcBGAs/s1600/BE32_150wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="450" height="237" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DZpV-a8DdJM/XSc2O7KNSaI/AAAAAAAAFNQ/EXnaEk-x6AQBdvjwy7oo_BL7z7qmNvptgCLcBGAs/s320/BE32_150wm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The Tawny
Pipit (1944)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It’s
that time of year again. Time to hitch up your skirts, squat over a bowl and
shell a few peas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Mr
Godby and I were watching a lovely film called “The Tawny Pipit” which is all
about a rare bird taking up residence in a perfect English village.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, Mr Godby says to me, “You’re a rare bird
yourself, Mrs Bagot, do you ever feel like going all rural and settling in the
country?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Well,
I had to say to him, “No Mr Godby, I don’t. There are very few country railway
stations that have a substantial buffet, and what would my life be without
somewhere to sell my Bath buns? No, you can keep your countryside for day trips
and films.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">But
I was taken back by a scene in “The Tawny Pipit” where dear old Katie Johnson sits
in her garden shelling peas. My old mother used to do much the same because living
on the canal bank we used to have room for a few rows of peas. Every summer,
there she would sit, popping away, the little green peas landing in the chamber
pot where she normally kept her aspidistra. I did like the fresh peas. But I
used to try and get to a few before she boiled them for 20 minutes and
shovelled in half a pound of salt. Well, when you’ve left them in the pod for
too long they can go a bit hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Here’s
another recipe to disguise hard peas from Silvester’s Sensible Cookery:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Green Pea
Puffs<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">¼
lb Cooked green peas <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">½
lb Mashed potatoes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1oz
Margarine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1
egg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Pepper
and salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Add
cooked peas to mashed potatoes, seasonings and egg; mix and place on a greased
tin in rocky pieces, and bake 20 minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">That
should obliterate them nicely.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Update:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Martin Allen (Twitter & Instagram: @martinallen72) kindly gave the Pea Puffs a whirl and reported the results.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #14171a; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Really rather fine. A bit mid-20th century bland - tastes as you’d expect, mash and peas. Not sure what the egg did but it was in there. Will definitely make again!</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #14171a; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bbOvDG4OOz0/XS2kiOy1FiI/AAAAAAAAFQI/C4pMDEnpprUTe1tV1lvmBaI-JMX7VykEQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20190715_190335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bbOvDG4OOz0/XS2kiOy1FiI/AAAAAAAAFQI/C4pMDEnpprUTe1tV1lvmBaI-JMX7VykEQCLcBGAs/s200/IMG_20190715_190335.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hgpJlAeRZmM/XS2kiNHPb8I/AAAAAAAAFQE/OVS1nuN-6NoPvvxx_FSxgkMcTdSZKZ2ggCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20190715_190341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hgpJlAeRZmM/XS2kiNHPb8I/AAAAAAAAFQE/OVS1nuN-6NoPvvxx_FSxgkMcTdSZKZ2ggCLcBGAs/s200/IMG_20190715_190341.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: gill sans mt, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">So now we know! Possible additions include cheese and spring onions. I feel Mr Godby would approve of that.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: gill sans mt, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></span>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">There’s
gardening, village intrigue and prefabs in my novella “Temporary Accommodation”.
It’s as cheap as marrowfat peas. <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B075FG2BSZ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2" target="_blank">Click here for some gentle summer reading</a><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-39227581840227071342019-06-29T01:54:00.001-07:002019-06-29T01:54:54.071-07:00Myrtle Bagot's Pages Part 3 - A Uniform Consistency <br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Myrtle Bagot’s Pages</span></b><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Chatelaine of Milford Station buffet
explains all about our mid 20<sup>th </sup>century diet.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2xjpkS5pQqc/XRcmipQUAfI/AAAAAAAAFEo/RspZnMZkfwUh0q8s47Ckkq2cEY3PInzLgCLcBGAs/s1600/BE32_150wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="450" height="237" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2xjpkS5pQqc/XRcmipQUAfI/AAAAAAAAFEo/RspZnMZkfwUh0q8s47Ckkq2cEY3PInzLgCLcBGAs/s320/BE32_150wm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">3. Windbag the Sailor (1936)</span></b><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I do like to see a man in uniform. If you’re
wondering why I tolerate Mr Godby’s attentions there’s your answer and I’ll
thank you to stop asking personal questions. But yes, it is why I had to move
away from Portsmouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That’s probably why I’m such a fan of Will Hay. He’s
been up there on that big screen making us laugh dressed in a railway uniform
(ahem), a fireman’s uniform, a policeman’s uniform…excuse me while I mop my
brow with this tea towel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Well to cut a long story short I was recently
gripped by his “Windbag the Sailor”. This came at a particularly convenient
time because I had been charged with thinking up a menu for the Milford WI’s
annual beetle drive and dinner in aid of comforts for sailors. And could I
think of something a bit different than the usual fare? No, I was quite
flummoxed. But dear Will in “Windbag” soon sorted me out. You see, there’s a
scene when Will, the fat lad and the old man are set adrift on a raft with
nothing to eat except some biscuits. And to make matters worse, they had a
radio that picked up a cookery show. Here’s what was on the menu:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tomato Soup<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lobster in aspic<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Roast duck<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Celery, coffee and nuts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y25DURqbgAc/XRcmySrRlpI/AAAAAAAAFEs/SyRGxiAPTX8_xGLqN7sfHyoeliDkQbBuQCLcBGAs/s1600/MV5BODcxZTcxNzMtYmM5Zi00ZTBhLTkyNDgtZmM0MWQyMDljN2NiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjIyNjE2NA%2540%2540._V1_SY1000_CR0%252C0%252C1299%252C1000_AL_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1299" height="246" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y25DURqbgAc/XRcmySrRlpI/AAAAAAAAFEs/SyRGxiAPTX8_xGLqN7sfHyoeliDkQbBuQCLcBGAs/s320/MV5BODcxZTcxNzMtYmM5Zi00ZTBhLTkyNDgtZmM0MWQyMDljN2NiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjIyNjE2NA%2540%2540._V1_SY1000_CR0%252C0%252C1299%252C1000_AL_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">All very nice, although I thought that the tomato
soup bit was a bit plain and uninspiring. So I looked up a recipe in my “Good
Cook’s Encyclopedia” edited by Pamela Fry, and found a lovely recipe that was
unnecessarily complicated:</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tomato
Soup<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1lb
Tomatoes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2
Carrots<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2
Onions<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Bacon
rinds<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1oz
Sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Salt
& pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">½
pint Milk<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2
Potatoes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Bouquet
garni<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2oz
Fat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1oz
Flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Stock<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Fry
bacon rinds in a thick saucepan, add 1oz fat and fry the sliced onions lightly.
Chop up the tomatoes and dice the potatoes and carrots. Add to the saucepan,
place on lid and cook gently over a low heat for 15 minutes, shaking
occasionally. Add the bouquet garni, sugar, salt and pepper, cover the
vegetables with stock and simmer until quite tender. Rub through a sieve, rinse
the pan and melt the remaining fat into it. When hot, make a roux with the
flour, gradually stir in the milk and then gradually add the sieved puree.
Reheat and season again if necessary. Add more milk or stock if it is too
thick, or if too thin thicken with a little flour blended with water. The soup
should be of a thick creamy consistency. Serve with croutons or with grated
cheese. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">On
top of all that fuss, it is recommended that you make your own bouquet garni by
ramming three sprigs of parsley, a sprig of thyme and a bay leaf in a little
muslin bag. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I’m
quite exhausted. It’s only the thought of the weekend in Liverpool with Doris
delivering the comforts for sailors that’s keeping me going I must say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><i>There’s
also plenty of men in uniform in the 1944 film “A Canterbury Tale” and I’ve
written a collection of short stories about the original audience for the film
in a south London cinema. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><i><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1508535477/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i13" target="_blank">Click here to download for 99p</a></i></span></div>
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<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-91277125629903969502019-06-20T05:27:00.001-07:002019-06-20T05:27:18.258-07:00Myrtle Bagot's Pages Part 2 - Giant Marrows<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Myrtle
Bagot’s Pages</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Chatelaine
of Milford Station buffet explains all about our mid 20<sup>th</sup>century
diet.</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. Two-Way
Stretch (1960)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My
friends are always saying to me, “Mrs Bagot, my husband’s given me a giant
marrow and I haven’t the first idea what to do with it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It’s
mostly those friends whose husbands have an allotment…or a nice big garden and
a terrible competitive streak. Given half the chance, all men will try to outdo
each other. Especially when it comes to growing something. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you ask me they want their heads banging
together. I mean, who wants a giant marrow?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Just
to illustrate my point there’s a film called “Two-Way Stretch” where that Peter
Sellers and Bernard Cribbins are in prison, where they belong. In this prison there’s
a garden where the prison governor is growing a marrow. He’s going to take it
to the local show and he means to win a prize with it – outdoing everyone else
because his is the biggest. Until of course the explosion in the quarry puts an
end to that lark by squashing his marrow. Serve him right of course, he should
be keeping an eye on the criminals he’s being paid to look after, not nurturing
huge curcurbits. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vHSeVa6WV5o/XQt6wj4zzCI/AAAAAAAAFEA/7amWUVVk29MaAV1Gy11j9wgfW0MyNXACgCLcBGAs/s1600/teaserbox_2460518492.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="796" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vHSeVa6WV5o/XQt6wj4zzCI/AAAAAAAAFEA/7amWUVVk29MaAV1Gy11j9wgfW0MyNXACgCLcBGAs/s320/teaserbox_2460518492.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">So
you see, there’s all these marrows going off to shows, and what happens after
they’ve been judged and rosetted I ask you? That’s right. They get dumped onto
already overworked wives who are expected to make use of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">If
you find yourself in possession of one of these blighters, here’s a couple of
ideas from my “Main Cookery Book for Rural Gas.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Stuffed Marrow<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1
Nice-sized marrow<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1lb
Minced cooked meat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2oz
Breadcrumbs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1
Egg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2oz
Butter or dripping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1
Teaspoon mixed herbs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Seasoning<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A
little stock if necessary<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Peel
and cut the marrow in half, remove the seeds. Mix together the meat, crumbs,
herbs and seasoning, add the well beaten egg. If very dry, add a little stock
(or gravy). Stuff the marrow and tie the halves together. Melt the dripping in
a tin, put in the marrow, and cook in a fairly hot oven till done, basting
often. When nearly cooked, dredge well with flour, pepper and salt, baste and
continue cooking until tender. Remove the string, and dish. Make a nice gravy
with the fat in the tin and strain over the marrow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As
my friend Mr Godby pointed out, life is too short to baste a marrow. He much
prefers his soaked in vinegar and mustard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Marrow Pickle<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1
Large marrow<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1
½ oz Mustard<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1
¼ lb Sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">12
Chillies<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2-3
Pints best vinegar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1
oz Powdered ginger<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">½
oz Powdered turmeric<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1lb
Shallots<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">12
Cloves<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Peel
and cut up the marrow into small cubes: there should be 4lb of marrow. Sprinkle
with salt, and let it stand overnight; drain off the water. Mix to a paste the
ginger, mustard and turmeric with a little vinegar. Bring to boiling point the
sugar, onions finely minced, chillies, cloves and vinegar. Add the paste, mix
well, then add the marrow, and cook till tender.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Anyway
I can’t stand round here gossiping all day. I’ve got customers to serve and
that girl Beryl seems to be having a series of coughing fits. I don't know what's wrong with the girl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B075FG2BSZ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0" target="_blank">I've written a nice gentle novella about a gardening competition, why not have a look - click here</a></span></div>
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<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-18705976392769271302019-06-13T05:39:00.001-07:002019-06-13T05:39:28.891-07:00Myrtle Bagot's Pages Part 1 - Prune Cake<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Myrtle
Bagot’s Pages<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Chatelaine
of Milford Station buffet explains all about our mid 20<sup>th</sup> century
diet.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v92ZoOlKUzw/XQJDQi7R6zI/AAAAAAAAFC8/AfA3kHYCbTQPnO65FojysdLYx5JGJGfMACLcBGAs/s1600/BE32_150wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="450" height="237" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v92ZoOlKUzw/XQJDQi7R6zI/AAAAAAAAFC8/AfA3kHYCbTQPnO65FojysdLYx5JGJGfMACLcBGAs/s320/BE32_150wm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">1.
Holiday Camp (1947)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Holiday Camp’ is a very interesting film all
about a family who take a holiday at one of those camp places just after the
war. You wouldn’t catch me at one of those, they don’t give you a minute’s
peace. All those disembodied voices ordering you about…I should be telling Mr
Godby to make a complaint, even if it is Esmond Knight. Not that Mr Godby would
be with me on holiday, as we are as yet unmarried. I shall be visiting my
sister in Frinton for my holidays. And that poor girl that gets murdered at the
end of the film, I should think that’s enough to put anyone off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As is the pudding that is offered to the campers
during the meal scene. Prunes and custard? On a holiday? Surely that is the
sort of food that’s offered to a toddler when he’s being all cross because he’s
bunged up. After they’ve eaten they all go off to the hall and do the “bobbing
up and down like this” thing with Charlie Chester. Can you imagine what
happened to people's insides doing all that jigging about after a dishful of prunes? The
smell in there must have been quite appalling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you must have prunes for a pudding, this is
what I recommend. It’s a lovely recipe from my Main Cookery Book for Rural Gas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Prune
Cake<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">8oz Flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">4oz Butter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">4oz Prunes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">3oz Sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2oz Syrup<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">½ gill Milk<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">1 Egg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">¼ tsp Bicarb<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sieve the flour and the bicarb and rub in the fat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cut the prunes and add them with the sugar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Beat the egg, add the syrup and milk, and mix into
the dry ingredients. Bake in a tin 6” in diameter, in a very moderately heated
oven, about halfway down, for half an hour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you do enjoy a good murder and that sort of
thing, I’m sure some people do though heaven knows why, this download might be
up your street. It’s only £1.29 which is cheaper than a glass of brandy, which
incidentally I’m not allowed to serve until later. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--rpZSuUJwBE/XQJDsgw_I-I/AAAAAAAAFDE/2DV4QRPx9VIm__NOO1YccYsowTD3JWJbwCLcBGAs/s1600/SITC%2BCover%2B00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1234" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--rpZSuUJwBE/XQJDsgw_I-I/AAAAAAAAFDE/2DV4QRPx9VIm__NOO1YccYsowTD3JWJbwCLcBGAs/s320/SITC%2BCover%2B00.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07QSQ2Q2Y/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3" target="_blank">Click here for some salacious goings on at the local Gaumont</a></div>
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<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-71605357830343012812019-04-15T07:47:00.004-07:002019-04-15T07:47:56.200-07:00Sin in the cinema<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In this latest History Usherette book, the torchlight sweeps across the cheap seats and reveals some very illegal goings-on. From spivs and prostitutes to murderers and mayhem, all human life went to the flicks with trouble in mind during the heyday of British cinema. The History Usherette brings together some of the most fascinating crimes, illuminating British society at its worst. Prepare to be appalled. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">There are five sections:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. Heavens Above - the hand-wringing over the morality of the cinema</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. Too Many Crooks - the temptation of the weekly takings...and other things</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. Brief Encounter - the beastly antics of the men with busy hands</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">4. Bang! You're Dead - the perilous life of a cinema manager</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">5. The Happiest Days of Your Life - juvenile delinquents get into their groove</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YLDPO0Dm4to/XLSZhdAi2DI/AAAAAAAAE5c/0rkuOb7rdm4nGNb5J4q1W77Dk_Dey-VbwCLcBGAs/s1600/41HBGT4%252B5XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="386" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YLDPO0Dm4to/XLSZhdAi2DI/AAAAAAAAE5c/0rkuOb7rdm4nGNb5J4q1W77Dk_Dey-VbwCLcBGAs/s320/41HBGT4%252B5XL.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sin-Cinema-Sarah-Miller-Walters-ebook/dp/B07QSQ2Q2Y/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Click here to download</a>Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-74338595131622632422018-06-28T03:29:00.000-07:002018-06-28T03:29:15.640-07:00Spotlight on Ask a Policeman 4<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">What, With
This Car?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
three heroes of “Ask a Policeman” have their cushy lives rumbled when the BBC
come along to celebrate the “lack of crime” in Turnbotham Round. A letter from
the powers that be states that as there is no crime in the village, there is no
need for their jobs to exist. They then of course set themselves the task of
defeating a few crimes in order to keep their paypackets, and the crime that
they have chosen to defeat is speeding. Some of the best scenes in the film
follow, as they measure out timings and distance and attempt to catch drivers
in the act of breaking the law. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
wondered how much of a problem speeding actually was in 1939 – not nearly as
much as today of course, when everyone has a car that is capable of going over
the limit, and when our cars are such quiet and comfortable bubbles that people often speed without
realising. But I searched the newspaper archive for reports on the subject from
that year and found some quite amusing little snippets:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Sunderland
Echo, May 1939<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A
fine of 40 shillings was imposed at Sunderland Crown Court today…Mr S was
alleged to have travelled at speeds as high as 45 mph in a built up area. When
told of the offence by P.C. R he replied “What? With this car?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Express &
Echo, April 1939<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“How
unkind of you” was the reply of a woman motorist of Taunton, when told by a
police officer that she would be reported for having exceeded the 30 mph speed
limit. She also observed “one does not notice the speed, does one?” She was
fined £1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Sheffield
Evening Telegraph, August 1939<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Sheffield United goalkeeper was fined 40 shillings at Barnsley for his
excessive speed. When asked to account for this, he replied that he was “in a
hurry to get to Leeds.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I’ve
heard of people being in a hurry to get away from Leeds before, but never to
the 3<sup>rd</sup> best city in Yorkshire…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
outbreak of the war in September considerably reduced the number of speeding
cases. From an average of 2,500 cases per month in the first part of the year,
in November there were less than 1,000 cases.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Roads-Corryvreckan-History-Usherette-Book-ebook/dp/B06XY45DWD/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Have a look at my book 'Roads to Corryvrekan' - set at the other end of WW2</a></span></div>
<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-87255833298280365952018-06-21T06:50:00.001-07:002018-06-21T06:50:13.444-07:00Spotlight on Ask a Policeman 3<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Harbottle’s
Stores<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Will
Hay’s sidekicks, Moore Marriott (the old man) and Graham Moffatt (the fat lad)
are as well-loved as the main man himself. Marriott plays old Harbottle,
prematurely aged after seeing the headless horseman driving the phantom hearse.
It made all his teeth fall out. The scene where he explains this to the Chief
Inspector is priceless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">When
he isn’t doing his constable-ing around Turnbotham Round, Harbottle runs the
local stores. This shop offers a wonderful peep into rural retail customs of
the day. Next time you watch ‘Ask a Policeman’ (you never watch this film just
once, it bears repeated viewings) take your eyes off the main characters while
they are in the stores and see what’s going on in the background.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LTeZssOmD4k/WyusvxormDI/AAAAAAAAEOw/uNrl8OEcHeozsPX6NJQSrEo-WNrvSajwgCLcBGAs/s1600/ask-a-policeman-moore-marriott-will-hay-glennis-lorimer-graham-moffatt-K3J9TC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1029" data-original-width="1300" height="253" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LTeZssOmD4k/WyusvxormDI/AAAAAAAAEOw/uNrl8OEcHeozsPX6NJQSrEo-WNrvSajwgCLcBGAs/s320/ask-a-policeman-moore-marriott-will-hay-glennis-lorimer-graham-moffatt-K3J9TC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">First
of all there is the library, with its notice imploring readers not to tear out
pages. It seems rather a limited selection and I’m sure local avid bookworms
would not be satisfied! Before local authorities opened public libraries, then
you would have to use a subscription library within a shop – Boots famously ran
one for several years and it features in ‘Brief Encounter’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Then
we have the brilliant notice outside the shop<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>- “Funerals undertaken and other odd jobs”. It seems Harbottle was happy
to bury your granny and put your shelves up on the same day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Then
there is the bizarre mix of products on sale, which includes broken biscuits
and dog biscuits – hope he never mixed the two up…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sarah-Miller-Walters/e/B00DZPX09U/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1" target="_blank">Visit my Amazon bookshelf</a>Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-27701293958036052532018-06-14T01:50:00.000-07:002018-06-14T01:50:12.025-07:00Spotlight on Ask a Policeman 2<br />
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<span style="font-family: Gill Sans MT, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b>The Real Smugglers of 1939</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Gill Sans MT, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Much
of the fun in ‘Ask a Policeman’ is based around smuggling. The proper old
fashioned smuggling that abounds in Cornish legend and the like – barrels of
rum left in caves, mysterious lights and tunnels, villagers that clam up when a
stranger is within earshot. I wanted to know if this kind of smuggling did
still go on in 1939, or if Will and the gang were just taking us back in time
to distract from the imminent world war. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
only came across one newspaper report from 1939 that was anything like the old
smuggling stories – and this smacked more of ‘Whisky Galore’. In July of that
year, ‘The Cornishman’ newspaper reported that casks of wine from a recent
shipwreck were being washed up on Cornish beaches, and that the locals were
rolling them home and getting drunk on the contents, making themselves “insensible”.
As you would. But the more upright members of society were discussing whether
the smuggling laws applied to this case because the intoxication was untaxed.
So dry were the legal points being discussed in this case, I couldn’t be
bothered to find out what the upshot was. Sorry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sEq2BsOTqFU/WyIrFJWGWwI/AAAAAAAAEMk/dOolA5s0FF0P7BULPUGv5SMUxZw2WwsNACLcBGAs/s1600/MV5BZDUwMjRlNDEtM2U2ZC00OGMxLThlZmItNTBkM2MwZmI1MTk5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjIyNjE2NA%2540%2540._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="1000" height="315" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sEq2BsOTqFU/WyIrFJWGWwI/AAAAAAAAEMk/dOolA5s0FF0P7BULPUGv5SMUxZw2WwsNACLcBGAs/s400/MV5BZDUwMjRlNDEtM2U2ZC00OGMxLThlZmItNTBkM2MwZmI1MTk5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjIyNjE2NA%2540%2540._V1_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beware of toothless old men offering sweets</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">But
taking a more serious turn, a search for the keyword of smuggling in the
newspaper reports of 1939 turned up something else entirely. The biggest
smuggling operation of that year involved people. Here are two sobering
reports:</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Birmingham Daily Post, May 1939<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“A
28 year old former Austrian, now without a country, who was smuggled into
England for £5 and started a greengrocery business in Birmingham pleaded guilty
at police court of landing in the UK without permission.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Sunderland Echo, March 1939<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“An
ex-sergeant of the Vienna police who was said to have been smuggled into
England after being in a concentration camp pleaded guilty at Hove to having landed
without permission.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">None
of the reports say what happened next….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Usherettes-Second-Seat-Third/dp/1508535477/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Click here to get a copy of my wartime stories</a></span></div>
<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-50610366639445628772018-06-07T04:50:00.001-07:002018-06-07T04:53:06.491-07:00Spotlight on Ask a Policeman 1<br />
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>In the Air</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">‘Ask
a Policeman’, one of Will Hay’s finest films, was released on 28<sup>th</sup>
August 1939 - a turbulent year in British history. The next few posts will look
at some rather serious historical points that this extremely funny film raises,
but let’s begin by looking at items of news reported in the Daily Mirror on
that day:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jmvx6xwTtiQ/Wxkbbu33JaI/AAAAAAAAEIo/A2ApujVpJ_c9PneBiccTCec1A-NeBPR4ACLcBGAs/s1600/AskaPolicemanAd.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="273" height="332" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jmvx6xwTtiQ/Wxkbbu33JaI/AAAAAAAAEIo/A2ApujVpJ_c9PneBiccTCec1A-NeBPR4ACLcBGAs/s400/AskaPolicemanAd.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">That
man Hitler dominated the main headline, as he had refused all talks with the
Poles. And to prove that it was obvious to all that war would be declared the
following week, child evacuation plans were well under way. Teachers had been
recalled from their summer holidays in order to rehearse the evacuation
process, while 250,000 parents were given advice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>London Fire Brigade officers had also been
told to cut short holidays and return to duty. There must have been a sense of
impending doom hanging over London at that point – I wonder if people found ‘Ask
a Policeman’ helpful in temporarily forgetting their worries, or if personal
anxieties over-rode the wonderful sense of comedy in this film and it only
began to be properly appreciated later on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In
lighter news, nine wedding guests got stuck in a lift in Stepney and the bride
was completely unaware at the time. Meanwhile, there is the heart-warming story
of two sisters who shared children. One sister had given birth to two children,
while the other one’s union had not been blessed with the bawling of tiny
lungs. The children therefore spent alternate weeks at each house, swapping
over every Saturday. Without knowing the children, it is difficult to pinpoint
which sister was kindly and generous – the one who gave her pride and joy away
every other week, or the one who gave her sister a well needed break…Depends on
whether they were the kind of kids who got sent to St Michaels' doesn’t it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Message-Bobbin-Stories-Miller-Walters-ebook/dp/B07D7DDW8K/ref=la_B00DZPX09U_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528372196&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Click here to read more wartime stories in my latest download, 'Message in a Bobbin'</a></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://villagehallsofmiddleengland.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Click here to have a look at my new blog on the village halls of middle England</a></div>
<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-64162083969770607422018-06-02T05:59:00.002-07:002018-06-02T05:59:51.844-07:00The First Frenchman of British Film<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Like
many of George Formby’s previous films, ‘Get Cracking’ was directed by Marcel
Varnel. Varnel also worked with other British comedy legends such as Arthur
Askey and Will Hay (and I will be focussing on ‘Ask a Policeman’ next). Surely
the man who turned out such loved and remembered comedy classics as ‘Oh, Mr
Porter!’ should be a bit more famous than he seems to be.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
searched the British Newspaper Archive for his obituary to try and find out more
about his life. However, all I could find was the same single paragraph marking
his death, tucked away at the bottom of the page in numerous provincial
news sheets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it’s not as if he died
when his star had long since faded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UCuu57N9SFo/WxKTwt24k7I/AAAAAAAAEHo/hg7wBf0eYNUnuZ30KGQ5StN6BszOKo8KACLcBGAs/s1600/3598819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="146" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UCuu57N9SFo/WxKTwt24k7I/AAAAAAAAEHo/hg7wBf0eYNUnuZ30KGQ5StN6BszOKo8KACLcBGAs/s400/3598819.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't be fooled by the friendly smile...the man'a foreigner doncha know.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Varnel
was killed in 1947, when he was aged just 53. He had been working up to the
end, and his car crash death was unexpected. But there it is – a single
paragraph stating that the French-born Varnel had trained in Hollywood then
spent the 1930s and 40s making films in Britain. They all stressed that he was
a British citizen at the time of his death, as if that had some kind of bearing
on his demise, or the sadness of it. There is no mention of family, no quotes
from Formby or Askey. What a sad dismissal from this life for someone who
helped to make so many people happy. It just goes to show that directors then
were held in nothing like the esteem that they are today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
can only find two write-ups on Marcel Varnel that are anything approaching more
in-depth than his sad obituary. One of these is his page on the BFI website –
not contemporary with his life or death of course. There is also an article
about ‘Oh, Mr Porter!’ in the Coventry Evening Telegraph (November 1937) that
does give us a glimpse behind the curtain. It points out how remarkable Varnel’s
success is…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“…but
then you probably forget that Varnel is a Frenchman. For a foreigner to grasp
and handle such essential English humour…is an achievement.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It
seems that Varnel was viewed as a Frenchman first and Director second. What a
difference a few miles of water can make to a man’s reputation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Roads-Corryvreckan-History-Usherette-Book-ebook/dp/B06XY45DWD/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Click here to download stories about the 1945 audience for 'I Know Where I'm Going'</a></span></div>
<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-66175392175577120382018-05-24T03:07:00.000-07:002018-05-24T03:07:22.278-07:00Spotlight on George Formby's Get Cracking 7<b>More Musings</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">During
the course of ‘Get Cracking’ we get other glimpses of wartime initiatives.
While introducing his new tank to the people of Minor Wallop, George gets back
into the sulking Mary’s good books by using it to help her to sell saving
stamps. The government encouraged people to use their national savings scheme
in order to fund the war. Stamps could be purchased for various amounts and
stuck onto a card. Full cards could then be exchanged for a bond which
attracted a good interest rate. This use of a tank to help publicise them
reflected real life, where communities might be encouraged to buy enough stamps
to meet the cost of a Spitfire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V13WbbUAhjo/WwaN9FAjTxI/AAAAAAAAEGQ/k1XrPNIs3YY99o7AQprSxRu5jUyveHxLwCLcBGAs/s1600/dccf5a74ffeacbf6045a01ef3c905505--stamps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="736" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V13WbbUAhjo/WwaN9FAjTxI/AAAAAAAAEGQ/k1XrPNIs3YY99o7AQprSxRu5jUyveHxLwCLcBGAs/s320/dccf5a74ffeacbf6045a01ef3c905505--stamps.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Strangest
wartime glimpse of them all in this film is the young girl evacuee that is
billeted at George’s house.</span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">For the
purposes of the film it appears that they live together alone, something that
is highly incongruous to modern eyes. Perhaps another example of Formby trying,
but being no longer able to pass himself off as a youngster. Having said that,
there is one scene where a housekeeper figures appears to be hovering in the
background, waiting to take the young girl inside. </span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">But still, would a single little girl have
been billeted with a single man? I’m torn between finding this hard to believe
and that knowledge that evacuees were often difficult to place – and perhaps
some were put into unsuitable houses just to get them off the billeting
officer’s hands. Or is it all artistic licence?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">My new
collection of short stories is available for download now. Three of the five
stories are set in wartime Skipton, Yorkshire. Each one was inspired by a
Yorkshire Post newspaper article about something connected with the Belle Vue
Mill, home of the Sylko cotton reel.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PxVbSfVhjkc/WwaOJPV117I/AAAAAAAAEGU/yh7iMEN52bw1AcVor1ONgJErLgBADPeywCLcBGAs/s1600/Message%2BCover%2B001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1201" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PxVbSfVhjkc/WwaOJPV117I/AAAAAAAAEGU/yh7iMEN52bw1AcVor1ONgJErLgBADPeywCLcBGAs/s320/Message%2BCover%2B001.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Message-Bobbin-Stories-Miller-Walters-ebook/dp/B07D7DDW8K/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Click here for an Amazon Kindle download</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SewSylko?ref=s2-header-shopname" target="_blank">click here for a pdf download from Etsy</a><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-48181868536886939932018-05-22T03:37:00.000-07:002018-05-22T03:37:22.067-07:00Spotlight on George Formby's Get Cracking 6<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Tank Top</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">After
George’s disgrace over failing to secure the spare gun for Minor Wallop Home
Guard, he must redeem himself. This is what George Formby films are all about,
after all. And this redemption stays on the theme of weaponry by George
constructing himself a tank. That’s right lads and lasses, a tank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In civilian life, George is a mechanic,
running his own garage that currently boasts no petrol and no spares. So, he is
able to spend his days converting his work truck with corrugated iron pinched
from a chicken coop. Back in the platoon’s good books, George and his tank
(christened Mary Mk 1) are commissioned to represent Minor Wallop in manoeuvres
against Major Wallop. Being on the receiving end of Ronald Shiner’s dirty
tricks, George gets properly shot at by the real army while he is in the
process of invading the neighbouring village.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But of course, George rolls into Major Wallop triumphant and gets a
promotion to boot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, the two
platoons are told that they are to merge – which they agree to do quite happily
– and they begin making plans to trounce another neighbouring settlement’s
platoon. After all at the bottom of it, they are all one against Jerry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2BfhRrnSIBU/WwPx-tYcfuI/AAAAAAAAEFw/GGbzGLe-OF4vrWbp_M-z3SnMSLetM0WTwCLcBGAs/s1600/1944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="221" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2BfhRrnSIBU/WwPx-tYcfuI/AAAAAAAAEFw/GGbzGLe-OF4vrWbp_M-z3SnMSLetM0WTwCLcBGAs/s400/1944.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Formby sang about Frank on his Tank being a Swank - then built his own!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Along
the way, there is a reminder of a more sinister aspect of the Home Guard’s
manoeuvres – that is, what they have been formed to do. George has difficulty
in getting his tank going because he is missing a rotor arm for the truck’s
engine.</span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">We learn during the process that
rotor arms had been removed from the engines of vehicles in case of invasion –
an early immobiliser. The invasion that was so anticipated in the early 1940s
never took place, so we don’t fully know what tactics the Home Guard would have
used to hold enemy forces back…but this little part of the storyline gives us
one clue and it is momentarily sobering – invasion really could have happened,
and how many of these parochial soldiers that we now laugh at every week in
‘Dad’s Army’ and in this film would have given up their lives?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Joyce-World-History-Usherette-Book-ebook/dp/B01J7Q8PRM" target="_blank">More wartime film fun with me and Joyce - click here</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kNkTw1mtAmI/WwPyZyG-EoI/AAAAAAAAEF4/Oy17Be9OBJkIantqVxfrSAr4R-qPRUyHwCLcBGAs/s1600/41nilzEYiiL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kNkTw1mtAmI/WwPyZyG-EoI/AAAAAAAAEF4/Oy17Be9OBJkIantqVxfrSAr4R-qPRUyHwCLcBGAs/s200/41nilzEYiiL.jpg" width="125" /></a></div>
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<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-27219047713627227722018-05-17T01:21:00.000-07:002018-05-17T01:21:17.294-07:00Spotlight on George Formby's Get Cracking 5<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Home Guard Games</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
story within the film ‘Get Cracking’ is all rather like an extended episode of
‘Dad’s Army’ and one wonders how well Croft and Perry knew this film. George
Formby plays a member (occasional Corporal) of the Home Guard in the village of
Minor Wallop. The story begins, after the initial scene setting, when it is
discovered that a gun has been left at the local railway station goods depot
without a label. A porter telephones to see if it belongs to their platoon, or
to the one at Major Wallop. George is immediately despatched on his motor bike
to go and claim it before the Major Wallopers hear about it. But the Home Guard
office is situated in the back room of the pub, and little do they know, but
the barmaid is a fifth columnist. She fancies Ronald Shiner’s character, who is
part of Major Wallop’s platoon. The barmaid telephones Shiner and delivers the
information on the gun in the hope of a back row liaison at the flicks in
return. Shiner’s character sets out for the gun too, and the usual trademark
Formby chaos ensues as they collide, then fight to get there first. George
loses the gun and to add insult to injury he is accused of giving the game
away. He is stripped of his stripe and is in disgrace. So, what with the local
Home Guard rivalry between platoons and the acute lack of proper weapons there
is more than a touch of Dad’s Army here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gLezoo4oJOE/Wv06yZXzHTI/AAAAAAAAEFU/rf7OoUKjNAoj4nUiyernYWBW7qcYka5LQCLcBGAs/s1600/Get_Cracking3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="675" height="325" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gLezoo4oJOE/Wv06yZXzHTI/AAAAAAAAEFU/rf7OoUKjNAoj4nUiyernYWBW7qcYka5LQCLcBGAs/s400/Get_Cracking3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can have a gun and no uniform, or you can have a uniform and no gun, but you can't have both.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Of
course, I’m not accusing Croft and Perry of plagiarism – the point is that they
both reflect the Home Guard as it was, each corroborating the other’s
evidence.</span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">It is known that the lack of
available uniform and weaponry beset the Local Defence volunteers from the
beginning. But I think that it also shows what we all suspect about men of a
certain age. Get them together in a unit that has to compete with another one, then
they will try their best to outdo each other at all costs as if they were back
in the playground!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Mention
must also be made at this point of the welcome appearance of E V H Emmett’s
voice as the film opens. The famous tones of the Gaumont News narrator (well
known to Carry on fans as the voiceover in ‘Carry On Cleo’) is used to commentate
on the initial formation of the Home Guard in Major and Minor Wallop,
describing how one got weapons while the other got uniform. He really gets the
film going with a smile and sets the scene brilliantly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Temporary-Accommodation-Sarah-Miller-Walters-ebook/dp/B075FG2BSZ/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Click here to download my Bishop's Wallop novella for just £1.29!</a></span></div>
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<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-48665641968901525752018-05-10T00:42:00.000-07:002018-05-10T06:11:52.048-07:00Spotlight on George Formby's Get Cracking 4<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Dinah Might<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">George’s
potential squeeze in ‘Get Cracking’ is Dinah Sheridan, aged 23 and at the start
of her career. Dinah will always be best known to me (and probably much of my
generation) as the mother in the 1970s film of ‘The Railway Children’ and to
see her so early on in her life is a happy curiosity. But she does seem to be
rather an odd choice for the role of Mary Pemberton. Both George and the actor
who plays Mary’s father (Lancashire born Frank Pettingell) sound as northern
and as common as can be, while she talks like she has half a pound of plums in
her gob and it’s just too noticeable and incongruous. I have to really try hard
to believe that snooty Mary fancies dippy George. Lovely as she is, I can’t
think why they chose her. I wonder if it was an attempt to appeal to the officers
as well as the privates in the Home Guard audience?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XDHcXAHQiig/WvP3GSR_2tI/AAAAAAAAEEI/W9JVVsozY5Qa25mucr6XF0unYG1uuStGACLcBGAs/s1600/MV5BMjBiNjE0MzQtOTE1ZS00Yzk2LTk1MzQtOGQzZmMzNjAyNTVhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjIyNjE2NA%2540%2540._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="645" height="307" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XDHcXAHQiig/WvP3GSR_2tI/AAAAAAAAEEI/W9JVVsozY5Qa25mucr6XF0unYG1uuStGACLcBGAs/s400/MV5BMjBiNjE0MzQtOTE1ZS00Yzk2LTk1MzQtOGQzZmMzNjAyNTVhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjIyNjE2NA%2540%2540._V1_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I can't tell a word you're saying"</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">A
much better bit of casting is the glorious appearance from one of my favourite
bit-part actresses, Irene Handl. She ramps up the dizzy, wandering in and out
of the Home Guard office wittering on about “our Ben”, a mythical character who
is always elsewhere. My favourite part is where she comes in seeking the
teapot, and finds that their Ben, the tidy soul, has put it in the filing
cabinet (under T of course). She adds a great bit of down-to-earth fun to the
film and it would be much duller without her. Here we see on screen the
forerunner of those Carry On characters that Irene was to so memorably play
over a decade later on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Her
role also serves to re-inforce the message that these Local Defence Volunteers
were ordinary men with other lives running parallel. Much is made at the
beginning of the film of the trouble of fitting guard duties around social
lives – you can’t put so and so down for Tuesday because that’s his night at
the flicks and so on. The Home Guard had jobs, meetings to attend, courting to
do and dippy sisters chasing round after them. It puts the British in a good
light – that men were doing this job out of choice, and not because it had been
dictated to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-23145550107123967382018-04-27T03:10:00.001-07:002018-04-27T03:10:49.278-07:00Spotlight on George Formby's Get Cracking 3<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">George v Ronald<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">‘Get
Cracking’ was released in May 1943 – that same month George Formby turned 39
years of age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His film career was
drawing to a close, only 4 more would follow, with ‘Civvy Street’ being his
final release three years later. At this point in time, his work in
entertaining the troops for ENSA was as well-known as his on-screen
entertainments. Perhaps you could say that ‘Get Cracking’ was an extension of
this, as he entertained the Home Guard by having a laugh with them at their
under-equipped exploits. But after the war ended, George’s career in
film stalled. Instead, he had to capitalise on his touring success and he took
his act to Africa and Australia. His next big thing in his home country would
be his appearance on the West End stage in the play ‘Zip Goes a Million’ in
1951.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">There
are two good reasons why George’s film career came to a close. Firstly, he had
typecast himself as the innocent Lancashire lad, who got himself into daft
scrapes but always got the girl. By the time he turned 40, this was getting a
bit tired, perhaps also slightly weird.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As he started to look his age, the unworldly-wise act didn’t wash quite
so well. His love interest in ‘Get Cracking’ is Dinah Sheridan, who turned 23
in 1943, making George very nearly old enough to be her father. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O16ULeMRslc/WuL2oC9Uu1I/AAAAAAAAEDk/fCZ4WBZb3GULHCRZ1Vmg27EOKGGFhzGrQCLcBGAs/s1600/GC%2BAd.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="433" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O16ULeMRslc/WuL2oC9Uu1I/AAAAAAAAEDk/fCZ4WBZb3GULHCRZ1Vmg27EOKGGFhzGrQCLcBGAs/s320/GC%2BAd.PNG" width="216" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">But
also, the war had changed audiences. Compare George’s continuing happy-go-lucky
output with the films that Powell and Pressburger were turning out as the war
drew to a close. Ours was a nation that was now bereaved, thoughtful and ready
for change. George represented pre-war days of seaside trips, motorbike racing
and cheeky innocence and perhaps everyone was now just a bit tired of all that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">It
is interesting to compare the post war careers of George with his ‘Get Cracking’
nemesis Ronald Shiner. Shiner had been in several of George’s previous films and
from memory I seem to think that he usually portrayed the petty villain in some
way. I personally always see Shiner as being a wrong-un, which is probably
unfair to the actor behind the roles, who may well have been the salt of the
earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But where George faded, Ronald
prospered. He went on to work with the likes of Arthur Askey and Margaret
Rutherford and in 1952 he was voted the most popular male film star. After
working with George one last time in ‘Civvy Street’ he went on to appear in
more than 20 other films. The more cynical kind of character that he was good at –
the spiv, the petty crook, the streetwise chum – were in demand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The film world at least had tipped in favour
of Ronald’s type. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ronald
retired in the early 60s to run a pub before his death in 1966 while George’s
life ended with some acrimony and scandal. Funny how the roles seem reversed at
the end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sarah-Miller-Walters/e/B00DZPX09U/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1" target="_blank">Stuff one of my books up your jumper while you suck on your Blackpool rock</a></span></div>
<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-17188194811575251402018-04-18T02:08:00.000-07:002018-04-18T02:08:23.289-07:00Spotlight on George Formby's Get Cracking 2<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Geography with
George<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
action in ‘Get Cracking’ takes place around the villages of Major Wallop and
Minor Wallop. The idea for these names of course comes from the actual Wallop
villages in Hampshire (Over Wallop, Middle Wallop and Nether Wallop, south west
of Andover).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such is the delightful
nonsense of the name Wallop that Will Hay also put it to use – the action in
‘Where’s That Fire’ takes place in Bishop’s Wallop. A name I am so fond of that
I stole it for my novella ‘Temporary Accommodation’. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Has anyone named a craft beer Bishop’s Wallop
yet? If not, they ought to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Will
Hay films are a great source of made up place names. I also love the setting
for his ‘Ask a Policeman’ – Turnbotham Round.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you are reading this blog post in another part of the world, you
might need to be told that Turnbotham is pronounced “Turnbottom” before you get
the humour. That’s another thing that we are good at in this country – place
names that are not pronounced how they are spelled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of George’s co-stars in ‘Get Cracking’,
Edward Rigby, also features in a film called ‘Don’t Take it to Heart’
(1944).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this chucklefest of a film,
we are introduced to the fictional village of Chaunduyt, but we soon learn that
it is pronounced “Condit”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a great
send up of those pockets of rural Britain where there hasn’t been an injection
of fresh bloodstock for far too long.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lXO7jsxqrRA/WtcJujtyL6I/AAAAAAAAEDA/-J5Xt7Q1klkPIWHRu9WF35tJ7Urg7MHVACLcBGAs/s1600/4049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="212" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lXO7jsxqrRA/WtcJujtyL6I/AAAAAAAAEDA/-J5Xt7Q1klkPIWHRu9WF35tJ7Urg7MHVACLcBGAs/s400/4049.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rigby and Formby</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">There
are hours of fun to be gleaned from English placenames. People are always
compiling lists of double-entendre geography and the area around the real
Wallop villages (Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire) is particularly blessed. What
with names that have the River Piddle as their source and places that sound
like a retired Victorian Colonel with a big moustache and ruddy cheeks
(Glanvilles Wooton, Compton Chamberlayne, Brown Candover).</span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">We have our rich and chequered history of
language and settlers to thank for this and of course our early film industry
was going to mine this comedic seam.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">As
for places that sound different to how they are spelled – every county has
places like this. The town where I live is almost always pronounced wrong if we
ever get a mention on national television (usually thanks to our famous MP).
Bolsover is pronounced “Bolzovva” by residents, but southern TV types usually
give it a soft s and a full English pronunciation of the “over” bit. This is
how they know when strangers are in town and know when to light the torches and
sharpen the pitchforks. I tease, I am from the big city…although me and my
children marvel sometimes at how we are the only family here not related to
everyone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In ‘Don’t Take it to
Heart’, Chaunduyt is portrayed as a place stuck in the past, where strangers
are frowned upon as foreigners or socialists – perhaps place pronunciation is a
quick method of identification of friend or foe, dating back to when these
things really were important.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Temporary-Accommodation-Sarah-Miller-Walters-ebook/dp/B075FG2BSZ/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Click here to download my own Bishop's Wallop story - Temporary Accommodation</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G3BffOHPg1E/WtcKOUkcj6I/AAAAAAAAEDI/khO5keeIDDwf2od-ksQBHyxDKjUMjxgPQCLcBGAs/s1600/Marigold%2B-%2BCover002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1225" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G3BffOHPg1E/WtcKOUkcj6I/AAAAAAAAEDI/khO5keeIDDwf2od-ksQBHyxDKjUMjxgPQCLcBGAs/s320/Marigold%2B-%2BCover002.JPG" width="245" /></a></div>
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<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-77299400910898576282018-04-10T02:21:00.000-07:002018-12-09T03:39:01.434-08:00Spotlight on George Formby's Get Cracking 1<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A Peach of a
Playwright<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I’m
going to start my Spotlight on George Formby’s “Get Cracking” by looking at one
of the screenwriters. The 1943 Home Guard themed film was based on a play
originally written by L du Garde Peach – famous for writing the Ladybird
Adventure from History books. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peach also
contributed to the screenplay along with Edward Dryhurst and Michael Vaughan.
So, you could say that Peach has a significant role at the root of this film.
How close the film runs to the original play (called “According to Plan”) I’m
not sure, as I have not seen a copy of the script. However, Peach recorded in
his book “25 Years of Play Producing” that he thought that his original play
was unrecognisable on the screen and that he was glad of this fact. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nNkHvPxpBEA/WsyBp6k4V1I/AAAAAAAAECc/S2kLYtnwNN4nm5WTWOCl-Gk2gvalrgHigCLcBGAs/s1600/MV5BMmI3ZjlhODYtYWM0My00ZTUzLTkzZGEtNTdiNDBlNjM4ZTNiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODY0NzcxNw%2540%2540._V1_UX182_CR0%252C0%252C182%252C268_AL_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="182" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nNkHvPxpBEA/WsyBp6k4V1I/AAAAAAAAECc/S2kLYtnwNN4nm5WTWOCl-Gk2gvalrgHigCLcBGAs/s1600/MV5BMmI3ZjlhODYtYWM0My00ZTUzLTkzZGEtNTdiNDBlNjM4ZTNiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODY0NzcxNw%2540%2540._V1_UX182_CR0%252C0%252C182%252C268_AL_.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Although
he is now only remembered for his Ladybird books, this is just one small part
of the career of my fellow Sheffield-born Lawrence du Garde Peach. After
studying English at universities in Manchester and Germany, he was then caught
up in World War One. Presumably due to his fluency in the German language, he
was given a role in intelligence after a spell in the Manchester regiment.</span><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">He survived the conflict and began
contributing articles to Punch magazine while lecturing in English at Exeter
University. His articles in Punch were popular and this led to him being
offered work on the radio. He was an acknowledged pioneer of plays for the
radio and by 1937 over 100 of his works had been heard in parlours throughout
the land.</span><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">During this period he also
established the ‘Little Theatre’ in Great Hucklow, near Buxton in Derbyshire.
This was where he settled when he was able to earn his living purely through
writing – he knew it from spending childhood summers there at a religious
holiday home with his father, who was a minister. The Great Hucklow players
achieved some fame between the wars and attracted audiences from far afield.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gill sans mt" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">His
radio play success had led to several screenwriting roles in the 1930s; and
then when World War Two arrived, L du G became a Major in the Home Guard. This
role, it seems, was a mine of inspiration for his wartime work. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so we arrive at “Get Cracking”. This was
his final credit in films, but by no means the end of his writing career. Much
of his radio career involved writing small plays for Children’s Hour on
historical subjects, which in the 1950s led to his Ladybird Adventures From
History. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: gill sans mt, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">I have now produced a small book about L du Garde Peach - click <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Case-Defence-Garde-Peach/dp/1790852382/ref=sr_1_18?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1544355380&sr=1-18&keywords=sarah+miller+walters" target="_blank">here</a> to purchase. Kindle download also available.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: gill sans mt, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></span>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K0avpR5vOMs/XAz-uElmPPI/AAAAAAAAEro/N7FsMzyO6BE_TFPsG-TkCXKyHIuTK50lgCLcBGAs/s1600/Peach%2BCover00002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1410" data-original-width="1070" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K0avpR5vOMs/XAz-uElmPPI/AAAAAAAAEro/N7FsMzyO6BE_TFPsG-TkCXKyHIuTK50lgCLcBGAs/s320/Peach%2BCover00002.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: gill sans mt, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-33847621584271926022018-03-15T05:15:00.001-07:002018-03-15T05:15:41.802-07:00Spotlight on Brief Encounter 10<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Three Films<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Throughout
World War Two, Noel Coward and David Lean collaborated on three films<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In
Which We Serve (1942)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This
Happy Breed (1944)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brief
Encounter (1945)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Lean
directed, while Coward came up with the story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">One
of Laura Jesson’s lines in ‘Brief Encounter’ is <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I
didn’t know that such violent things could happen to ordinary people.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QkYji56u6DA/Wqpi0l-PfeI/AAAAAAAAEAo/OOTwoJguHZ0z8aIB97YoT2HzSEaN_DgvACLcBGAs/s1600/Brief%2BEncounter%2B%25281945%2529.mkv_snapshot_00.25.39_%255B2012.07.30_00.52.06%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1476" height="234" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QkYji56u6DA/Wqpi0l-PfeI/AAAAAAAAEAo/OOTwoJguHZ0z8aIB97YoT2HzSEaN_DgvACLcBGAs/s320/Brief%2BEncounter%2B%25281945%2529.mkv_snapshot_00.25.39_%255B2012.07.30_00.52.06%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An earthquake in tweed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">This
sums up what the Coward/Lean wartime partnership was all about.</span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">‘In Which We Serve’ is about the ordinary
Brit facing the violence of war – at sea and in port as both the sailors and
their wives are put in mortal danger. ‘This Happy Breed’ follows an ordinary
family facing the many trials that life had to offer in the early 20</span><sup style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">
Century, including death and fates considered to be worse than death. And so
the pattern continued with ‘Brief Encounter.’ This time though, the violence is
that of complicated love – not quite the same as that faced by women in the
previous two films but all the same, this is how Laura feels.</span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">As with the previous two films, it does
reflect events that were common to a lot of the British public at this time. By
1945, quite a lot of women had fallen for men who were not their husbands. The
evidence can be found in contemporary newspapers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In
January 1945, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gloucester Citizen</i>
reported that the London divorce courts were trying 65 cases per day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In
October 1945, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lancashire Evening Post</i>
reported that the divorce of Winston Churchill’s daughter Sarah was granted at
the same time as 291 others. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
must also put a word in for the autobiography of Doreen Hawkins – ‘Drury Lane
to Dimapur’. This gives a fascinating description of the process of a post-war
divorce, which she went through before marrying her second husband, Jack
Hawkins. She also mentions the sheer volume of divorces being handled at that
time, and the temporary buildings that had to be given over to get through them
all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Marriage
was another, major casualty of World War Two, and though Coward gives it a
discreet, middle class treatment, we get a glimpse of the turmoil that it
caused. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Joyce-World-History-Usherette-Book-ebook/dp/B01J7Q8PRM" target="_blank">Click here to purchase my book inspired by the work of Celia Johnson's friend, Joyce Grenfell</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LkSFqWkhehs/Wqpj2p8TToI/AAAAAAAAEAs/LpXjbtKnTaYTj1JZ1sjXisQIu4GlOC5oQCLcBGAs/s1600/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="836" height="418" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LkSFqWkhehs/Wqpj2p8TToI/AAAAAAAAEAs/LpXjbtKnTaYTj1JZ1sjXisQIu4GlOC5oQCLcBGAs/s640/Capture.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-24915320633155497822018-03-08T04:59:00.001-08:002018-03-08T04:59:10.575-08:00Spotlight on Brief Encounter 9<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Laura Jesson’s
Guide to Train Travel Etiquette<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1.
Never stand too close to the edge of the platform when the express is due. A
piece of grit is bound to fly up and lodge itself in one’s eye. As well as the
immediate pain, there is a high risk of falling in love with the person who
removes it for you. Stand right against the nearest wall and look away. Better still;
take cover in the ladies’ waiting room. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2.
In Wilde’s ‘The Importance of Being Ernest’ it is stated that “one should
always have something sensational to read on the train.” Nonsense. One should
read either a library book (from a subscription library of course, not a
council one) or The Times. On no account complete the crossword in The Times –
leave this for one’s husband. In any case, frown lines may be caused by
thinking about the answers with too much concentration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3.
When sharing a compartment with an acquaintance that won’t stop talking, it is permissible
to fake an illness or extreme fatigue, both of which necessitate a nap. There
is no other means of escape without seeming dreadfully rude.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jrZnBx9OYFk/WqEydUoh4iI/AAAAAAAAD_I/_2cbBHqWOk0RkFWiqNGhpRuQvhcYIHLkwCLcBGAs/s1600/968full-brief-encounter-screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="968" height="239" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jrZnBx9OYFk/WqEydUoh4iI/AAAAAAAAD_I/_2cbBHqWOk0RkFWiqNGhpRuQvhcYIHLkwCLcBGAs/s320/968full-brief-encounter-screenshot.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 'Leaning out of the Open Window' position is only permisable after 12 noon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br />4.
Remember that this is England, and do not speak to those sharing your
compartment unless you have been formally introduced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, if it is necessary to leave the
compartment suddenly, then an explanation is permissible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, if one boards a train and then decides
that indeed one is only middle aged once, and that invitation to a liaison
simply cannot be resisted after all, then one should:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">-Affect
a worried expression<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">-Give
up one’s seat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">-Say
to the compartment in general “Oh! I’ve forgotten something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">-Bustle
back on the platform with purpose<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This
manoeuvre is quite acceptable in polite society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5.
One may spend a train journey staring through the window – but only if one has
a corner seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If sat in a middle seat,
then looking out of the window may involve accidently looking at another
person, which is simply not done. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">If
staring through the window and it becomes dark, people may think that you are vainly staring at your own reflection, so remember to cast eyes downwards or move the
eyeballs about. The same applies if it is dark and you are using the reflection
of the compartment to keep an eye on the hatless character in the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6.
When travelling on a regular route, select a landmark at which alighting
preparations should be launched. Mostly, this simply means straightening ones
hat and powdering one’s nose. Arrival on the destination platform with an
incandescent nose could cause the guard to blow his whistle prematurely. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sarah-Miller-Walters/e/B00DZPX09U/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1520513869&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Visit my Amazon page for more 40s style fun</a></span></div>
<br />Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-15658539442783171742018-02-28T05:14:00.001-08:002018-02-28T05:14:35.276-08:00Spotlight on Brief Encounter 8<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Myrtle Bagot’s
Bath Buns<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Taken
from a 1950s Good Housekeeping Recipe Book:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1lb
flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6oz
butter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1oz
yeast<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1-2oz
sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">¼
pint milk<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2
eggs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3oz
sultanas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2oz
chopped peel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">½
lemon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5oz
caster sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Egg
& milk glaze<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Crushed
loaf sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Warm
and sieve flour and rub in fat. Cream yeast with 1 tsp sugar and add lukewarm
milk. Beat eggs and sugar, mix with yeast and pour into a well in the flour. Beat well, adding more milk if required to
make a soft, sticky mixture, cover with a clean, damp cloth and put to rise
about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size. Mix sultanas, peel, grated rind and
caster sugar, and warm slightly. Place on a floured board and mix in fruit
roughly – do not knead in. Divide into 12-14 roughly shaped buns and put on
greased tin. Prove 5-10 minutes, glaze and sprinkle with crushed sugar; bake in
a hot oven (450F or gas mark 8) for 20 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plain-English-Cooking-Nothing-Fancy-ebook/dp/B01MZIVCVG/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1519823627&sr=8-12&keywords=sarah+miller+walters" target="_blank">Click here for more Good Plain English Cooking, Nothing Fancy</a></span></div>
Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-75480347445579772692018-02-21T07:42:00.000-08:002018-02-21T07:42:17.653-08:00Spotlight on Brief Encounter 7<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Tealady
& Albert<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">If
Laura and Alec wear the tragedy masks, Albert Godby (Stanley Holloway) and
Myrtle Bagot (Joyce Carey) wear the comedy ones. But is the thing that makes
them so amusing the idea that they are “at it” at their age?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">If
a young sailor came into the refreshment room and tried to goose young Beryl;
that would be a matter of course in those days. But when old Albert gets frisky
with the middle aged Myrtle, it gives us all a good laugh (although of course
some of this is down to the excellent comedy talents of the actors behind the
characters). I wonder what the age difference is meant to be between the two
couples? It was more difficult to say in those days because everyone seemed to
look old after a certain point. I recently read a family memoir by one of my
favourite authors, Margaret Forster. She compares her own life to that of her
mother and grandmother in “Hidden Lives” and it is fascinating. She includes a
photograph of her mother at the age I am now – 45 – and she looks like a tired,
wrinkly old granny! These days we try harder to cling on to our youth and
embrace diversity in hairstyles and clothes rather than sink gracefully into a
pinny and perm. Back in the 1940s, it seems that once you had turned 30 you
accepted old age and surgical stockings and that was that. Also, life was
harsher and this showed in the face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">How
old are Alec and Laura meant to be? They have young children and Laura’s appear
on screen and look to be under 10 years old. Women tended to have children
earlier in their twenties back then so I think that this puts her a little
above 30. Alec also speaks of young children, he must be in his thirties too.
There’s not a lot to go on in terms of aging Myrtle Bagot. She’s been married,
divorced and seen off a gentleman ‘business partner’. Perhaps she is meant to
be 10-15 years older than Laura. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
ages of the actors involved when the film was released are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia
37, Trevor 32, Joyce 47, Stanley 55. At 45 I certainly feel more of a Myrtle
than a Laura. If a young doctor started paying me attentions I’d tell him to
push off and leave me alone to drink tea and eat buns in peace. Myrtle holds no
doe-eyed romantic thoughts about Albert either. She’s going to make him work
hard to prove himself worthy of her and that’s where we get our fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SLUj4xoVEKo/Wo2SwIWjCCI/AAAAAAAAD2c/V22r6-ISWAUfs52mFPRTGdEzbOaqTiFLgCLcBGAs/s1600/231b31e6abc0a706d4bb68992dbc976c--brief-encounter-fred.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="246" data-original-width="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SLUj4xoVEKo/Wo2SwIWjCCI/AAAAAAAAD2c/V22r6-ISWAUfs52mFPRTGdEzbOaqTiFLgCLcBGAs/s1600/231b31e6abc0a706d4bb68992dbc976c--brief-encounter-fred.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sugar's in the spoon...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">But
it wasn’t all fun being older and single back in the 1930s and 40s. Myrtle’s
life has obviously been unsettled while it emerges that Albert lives in
lodgings with a mad animal menagerie. A life in lodgings for a gentleman is
something that I looked at in my ‘Lavender Hill Mob’ post a few years back. I
mused:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> "The Lavender Hill Mob" shows
the two main characters each having rooms in a lodging house (or 'private
hotel') which is shared by several people. This is how they meet and
formulate the robbery. This gives us a peep at how some single men of the lower
middle class lived then. I wonder how much of this situation was due to
the housing shortage, and how much was due to these men never having learned to
look after themselves? It would have been assumed in their upbringing
that there would always be a female in their life to see to domestic matters.
Neither of these characters are married so they have
placed themselves in the care of a landlady. In modern times, they
would most likely live alone in a small flat each (if not even still be at home
with parents!)<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">To
be growing old and not have a home of your own must have been awfully
depressing. No wonder Albert was so persistent in his pursuit of the hand that
baked those delightful Bath Buns. We can laugh, but old Albert and Myrtle seem
to get their happy ending after he saves her from the lippy soldiers – and they
will appreciate each other much more than Laura or Alec ever would.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Temporary-Accommodation-Sarah-Miller-Walters/dp/1549686011/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Get your copy of my 1940s novella here!</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UFbwe2VZ6j8/Wo2TUShonqI/AAAAAAAAD2k/cs3J8gub8kg1vxhHdAMuvpxw7tRx35dUACLcBGAs/s1600/Marigold%2B-%2BCover002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1225" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UFbwe2VZ6j8/Wo2TUShonqI/AAAAAAAAD2k/cs3J8gub8kg1vxhHdAMuvpxw7tRx35dUACLcBGAs/s320/Marigold%2B-%2BCover002.JPG" width="245" /></a></div>
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Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2454758303045409377.post-50864821736224907152018-02-14T04:14:00.000-08:002018-02-14T04:14:37.890-08:00Spotlight on Brief Encounter 6<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The History of
Celia and Trevor<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Brief
Encounter” was Trevor Howard’s ‘breakthrough role’ in modern parlance. Until
then, he had only had a couple of bit parts in wartime flicks such as “The Way
to the Stars”. Of course, he wasn’t new
to acting, he had put in some well received performances on the stage, both in
the West End and in Stratford-on-Avon.
He had also studied at RADA. But to give someone such an intense role
without a solid cinematic track record seems to be rather a risk. However, it
paid off. Celia does get all of the
acting plaudits it is true. The crew seem to have preferred working with her
too, finding her more professional and efficient. There seems to have been
issues with Trevor taking a slack attitude to learning his lines. But it is
difficult to imagine anyone other than him playing Dr Alec Harvey. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Howard’s
personal life is in fact rather more interesting than his role. In 1940 he
joined the Royal Signals and publicity from early on in his career suggested
acts of heroism. After his death, it emerged that these heroisms were fictional
and he had in fact been invalided out due to mental health issues. These
perhaps stem from his early life. He was born in Cliftonville in 1913, but
moved around a lot with his mother, while his father worked in insurance. It seems that he was left alone regularly, and
reading between the lines he may well have grown up lonely and feeling unloved
by his parents. Perhaps he forever
sought approval, no matter the morality behind his actions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Off
screen he lived for cricket – and a regular tipple. He married actress Helen
Cherry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0zYf1zb_zyk/WoQmySlJCXI/AAAAAAAAD10/jwvRoXrtmX0tFkZQmIXkfk6785Tt7lkiQCLcBGAs/s1600/RSNO%2B1718%2BBrief%2BEncounter%2BLive%2B900x560%2B16%2BFebruary%2B2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="900" height="199" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0zYf1zb_zyk/WoQmySlJCXI/AAAAAAAAD10/jwvRoXrtmX0tFkZQmIXkfk6785Tt7lkiQCLcBGAs/s320/RSNO%2B1718%2BBrief%2BEncounter%2BLive%2B900x560%2B16%2BFebruary%2B2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I have promised David Lean not to punch you on the nose today"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Celia
Johnson was a little more experienced than Trevor Howard, and had appeared in
two previous Noel Coward/David Lean collaborations – “In Which We Serve” and
“This Happy Breed.” Previous to her appearance in film she had also had a
successful stage career throughout the 1930s after finishing her course of
study at RADA.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">It
is said that Celia turned to film and radio work because of other pressures
that made taking on a long London theatre run undesirable. Married to
journalist Peter Fleming (brother of Bond writer Ian), she had given birth to
the first of her three children in 1939. When war broke out, she took on
several roles outside of the entertainment industry. She enrolled as an
Auxiliary Policewoman in Henley-on-Thames as well as helping to maintain the
farm that she lived on. She also took in several relatives – and all this while
her career continued, albeit at a lower key.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
read recently that Celia earned considerably more than Trevor for her role in
“Brief Encounter”. If this is true – how refreshing! She certainly deserved it, and apparently had
to show a great deal of patience as well as talent, sitting through numerous
takes while Howard fluffed his lines. Although the pair got on alright, no
great friendship blossomed on this film set. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Celia
had been hand- picked by Coward to play Laura Jesson and he was very pleased at
being proved correct. I’ll finish with a typically modest entry in Coward’s
diary from June 1945:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Saw
a very rough cut of “Brief Encounter”. Delighted with it. Celia quite
wonderful, Trevor fine and obviously a new star. Whole thing beautifully played
and directed – and, let’s face it, most beautifully written.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Joyce-World-History-Usherette-Book-ebook/dp/B01J7Q8PRM/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">More wartime stories can be found in my book inspired by Celia's friend, Joyce Grenfell</a></span></div>
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Sarah Miller Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05805232899121144274noreply@blogger.com0