Well, I thought it was a good name at the time. Little did I realise that I would then feel compelled to write about Norfolk. And posts. Unsurprisingly, the combination of fine weather and a self-imposed limit on subject matter has led me to neglect the Norfolk Post somewhat of late.
Still, looking around at the huge swath of abandoned blogs that clog up web servers around the world, I see I'm following in a fine tradition.
Wednesday 12 October 2011
Thursday 1 September 2011
Posts of the day
"Beware: deep water. No swimming." One of the warning posts surrounding Whitlingham Little Broad.
Prior to 2008, this was the site of 'Norwich Beach', a popular tourist attraction aimed at bringing the seaside atmosphere to the city, with tons of sand trucked in to add to the experience. Following the accidental drowning of a swimmer who went beyond the marked safe area in that year the beach was removed, the broad was closed to the public and fenced off along its entire shoreline.
While the same signs now also surround Whitlingham Great Broad, leaving swans and ducks the only swimmers, other posts also decorate the waterside. The Millenium Post is located close to the car park and cafe:
And just to the west, an information board outlines the history of "Millionaire's Row", site of the ruin of Trowse Newton Hall and Crown Point Hall (now known as Whitlingham Hall), formerly home to temperance campaigner and philanthropist Jeremiah James Colman. Famous for its English mustard, Colman's company headquarters remain situated nearby to this day.
Prior to 2008, this was the site of 'Norwich Beach', a popular tourist attraction aimed at bringing the seaside atmosphere to the city, with tons of sand trucked in to add to the experience. Following the accidental drowning of a swimmer who went beyond the marked safe area in that year the beach was removed, the broad was closed to the public and fenced off along its entire shoreline.
While the same signs now also surround Whitlingham Great Broad, leaving swans and ducks the only swimmers, other posts also decorate the waterside. The Millenium Post is located close to the car park and cafe:
And just to the west, an information board outlines the history of "Millionaire's Row", site of the ruin of Trowse Newton Hall and Crown Point Hall (now known as Whitlingham Hall), formerly home to temperance campaigner and philanthropist Jeremiah James Colman. Famous for its English mustard, Colman's company headquarters remain situated nearby to this day.
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| Ruin of Trowse Newton Hall, Whitlingham |
Sunday 28 August 2011
Post of the day
Post of the day is from Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse, where it props up a scarecrow in the workhouse cottage garden. Today, this chap was one of few on the site who were not wearing a military uniform and toting a large gun as part of the annual 'Village at War' 1940s event. The Post is a big fan of the Norfolk Museums Service and a regular visitor to Gressenhall and its other sites and it is on occasions such as this that it particularly appreciates the skill of its professional staff and interpreters.
Of course, there will always be a place for amateur re-enactment groups, but while they may be experts in their field, without the communications training provided to museum staff many members are prone to appear self-conscious and surly. As a result, visitors may be left wondering whether they are seeking to relate a historical experience, or simply playing at soldiers.
The 'Village at War' event continues at Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse tomorrow, 10am-5pm.
Friday 26 August 2011
Post of the day
Post of the day is from Barton Turf parish staithe. The post is there for tying up broads cruisers, but on this grey morning there were few takers.
It's difficult to establish a clear view on the state of the broads tourist industry: larger yards claim an upturn in bookings as a result of the "staycation" trend following the economic downturn, but others say that this could equally be the result of the closure of smaller yards forcing a concentration of existing business into the hands of the bigger operators. Certainly the general trend in the UK tourist industry has been downward as customers abandon a second break and concentrate their resources on a single foreign holiday.
It's difficult to establish a clear view on the state of the broads tourist industry: larger yards claim an upturn in bookings as a result of the "staycation" trend following the economic downturn, but others say that this could equally be the result of the closure of smaller yards forcing a concentration of existing business into the hands of the bigger operators. Certainly the general trend in the UK tourist industry has been downward as customers abandon a second break and concentrate their resources on a single foreign holiday.
Thursday 25 August 2011
Canaries League Cup kick-off conundrum
A visit to relatives yesterday unearthed this reminder of the days when Norwich knew how to stage a cup-run: a programme from the midweek League Cup 5th round replay against Millwall of Wednesday 16th January 1974. The Post has no memory of the game, being in short trousers at the time and too young to see over the rails in the South Stand, let alone attend a midweek game. Those who purchased the programme seem similarly oblivious, but the records show that Norwich beat Millwall 2-1, going on to lose 2-1 on aggregate to Wolves over the two leg semi-final.
The result, however was not the main topic of interest. Looking at the cover of the programme, the Post was struck by two things: one, the price; two, the kick-off time. Inside the programme there are references to "tonight's game", but the front cover has the game advertised as starting at 1.30pm. The initial assumption was that this was the result of a printing error, but it was then noted that January 1974 was the height of the three day week. The Heath government was going head-to-head with the miners and the working week was curtailed in order to save electricity as the pits and coal-fired power stations ground to a halt.
So was it a misprint, or was the game brought forward to the afternoon in order to avoid the need for floodlighting? On the one hand, a game kicking off at 1.30pm in mid-January would just about finish in daylight. On the other, I don't see how either my father (a public sector employee and therefore not subject to three day working) nor my older brother (still in school at the time) could have attended a match at that time and bought the programme. One for the experts...
By way of a footnote, a look inside the programme shows the Division One standings at the time: Leeds were eight points clear at the top with Chelsea in 18th place and Manchester United struggling two places above Norwich who, while they may have put on a good show in the cup, sat stone bottom of the league and on course for relegation from the top flight.
The result, however was not the main topic of interest. Looking at the cover of the programme, the Post was struck by two things: one, the price; two, the kick-off time. Inside the programme there are references to "tonight's game", but the front cover has the game advertised as starting at 1.30pm. The initial assumption was that this was the result of a printing error, but it was then noted that January 1974 was the height of the three day week. The Heath government was going head-to-head with the miners and the working week was curtailed in order to save electricity as the pits and coal-fired power stations ground to a halt.
So was it a misprint, or was the game brought forward to the afternoon in order to avoid the need for floodlighting? On the one hand, a game kicking off at 1.30pm in mid-January would just about finish in daylight. On the other, I don't see how either my father (a public sector employee and therefore not subject to three day working) nor my older brother (still in school at the time) could have attended a match at that time and bought the programme. One for the experts...
By way of a footnote, a look inside the programme shows the Division One standings at the time: Leeds were eight points clear at the top with Chelsea in 18th place and Manchester United struggling two places above Norwich who, while they may have put on a good show in the cup, sat stone bottom of the league and on course for relegation from the top flight.
Wednesday 24 August 2011
Norwich 0-4 MK Dons
As with many other clubs, it has become a tradition over the past fifteen years or so that Norwich get beaten by a team from a lower league in the early rounds of the Carling Cup, everyone heaves a collective sigh of indifference and carries on as normal. With Premier League survival currently listed as priority number one to number 150, it was always a tradition that was going to be respected this year. But even so...
I can only imagine that the Norwich players were hypnotised by the all-new all singing and dancing animated electronic advertising hoardings. That or they were in a collective sulk at being selected for this game. Either way, while some of the 13,000 crowd made an effort to express disapproval by walking out before the end, most remained glued to their seats by a grim fascination, wondering what comedic blunder would befall the hapless Norwich side next.
Off the ball:
* It wasn't only that Norwich got thumped, it was the ridiculous way they did it: disappointment turned to bewilderment turned to bemused laughter among the crowd. And, looking at this Eastern Daily Press photo, it appears that it wasn't just the supporters who felt that way.
* The new electronic advertising hoardings were in action for the first time at Carrow Road last night. Seen from high camera angles on TV these boards are hardly noticeable, but from near pitch level the effect is mesmeric: minutes of the game go past and you realise that you haven't been watching the football at all. And that's when you can even see the ball among the technicolour blur.
* MK Dons turned out for the second half minus two players. Had they played on with nine, it might have been a more even match - though the fact that they did end up playing the last fifteen minutes or so with ten men due to injury and still looked the stronger side suggests it might just as well not have.
* Man of the Match award has to go to Captain Canary, on the grounds he was the only one in a Norwich shirt on the pitch last night who didn't embarrass himself.
I can only imagine that the Norwich players were hypnotised by the all-new all singing and dancing animated electronic advertising hoardings. That or they were in a collective sulk at being selected for this game. Either way, while some of the 13,000 crowd made an effort to express disapproval by walking out before the end, most remained glued to their seats by a grim fascination, wondering what comedic blunder would befall the hapless Norwich side next.
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| Oooh! What a Carry On! |
* It wasn't only that Norwich got thumped, it was the ridiculous way they did it: disappointment turned to bewilderment turned to bemused laughter among the crowd. And, looking at this Eastern Daily Press photo, it appears that it wasn't just the supporters who felt that way.
* The new electronic advertising hoardings were in action for the first time at Carrow Road last night. Seen from high camera angles on TV these boards are hardly noticeable, but from near pitch level the effect is mesmeric: minutes of the game go past and you realise that you haven't been watching the football at all. And that's when you can even see the ball among the technicolour blur.
* MK Dons turned out for the second half minus two players. Had they played on with nine, it might have been a more even match - though the fact that they did end up playing the last fifteen minutes or so with ten men due to injury and still looked the stronger side suggests it might just as well not have.
* Man of the Match award has to go to Captain Canary, on the grounds he was the only one in a Norwich shirt on the pitch last night who didn't embarrass himself.
Tuesday 23 August 2011
Post of the day
Post of the day is a swing-post, as featured in the recent BBC4 documentary two-parter "Hop, Skip and Jump: the Story of Children's Play". To the best of the Post's knowledge the image is not from Norfolk; more likely a London park, but the programme did feature Ed Mitchell from Chedworth, recounting the local tradition of the St Valentine pennies.
In an event apparently loosely based on the mediaeval trial by ordeal, the poor children of Norfolk towns and villages would progress en masse to richer areas each year on St Valentine's day, in the hope that pennies would be thrown to them in the street. Of course, the well-to-do being what they are, they decided that there would be more sport to be had by heating the coins on a shovel over a coal fire until they were red hot before they were dispensed to the crowd of urchins outside their windows. How they must have laughed to hear the screams of the burned children as they fought for the pitiful offering in the street below. All good fun!
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| Children scrabbling for Valentine pennies |
Looking into this custom a bit further though, the Post discovers that this type of Valentine tradition seems to be unique to Norfolk. Just as St Valentine's day falls mid-way between Christmas and April Fool's, the Mother or Father (sometimes Jack) Valentine character seems to be half Santa, half prankster, with quite a few less sadisitc interpretations listed in this BBC Norfolk website article and the comments below.
"TheGreat Outdoors", part 1 of "Hop, Skip and Jump: the Story of Children's Play" which features the Norfolk Valentine pennies footage is available on the BBC iPlayer until Wednesday 24th August.
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