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Anyway, July is always a busy one for us, social gatherings, birthdays and sports tournaments and this year has proven to be no exception. I played in a Netball tournament at the start of the month, it had rained of course, so the outdoor courts were slightly slippy and I went down like a sack of spuds! My team were very impressed with my splits….so was I tbf, didn’t know I could still do that!! It got me thinking whether I could have a goatgeriatricgymnasticsintheOlympics? (I know there isn’t such a thing but there should be, gives us all something to aspire to rather than watching the very talented butexceedinglybendyyoungsters).
Atthetimeofsendingtoprint,theOlympics haven’t quite started yet but I’m games ready…..bought myself some earplugs to blockoutMrEmily’swittering!!
HappyReading,
PS: Don’t forget to mention the ‘Voice’ when you use any of the companies in this
PostcardsThe Text Messages of Their Day
We are so used to the instancy of our 21st century text messaging and social media we forget that until fairly recently, handwriting a note on a postcard and dropping it in a post-box was actually the fastest way to reach out to someone.
The postcard as we know it today has its roots in the mid-19th century. The first known picture postcard was sent in 1840 by Theodore Hook, a British writer and practical joker, who apparently posted a hand-painted card to himself. However, it wasn’t until 1869 that postcards began to be officially issued by postal services. The Austrian government was the pioneer introducing the “Correspondenz-Karte,” a simple, pre-stamped card intended for short messages.
The late 19th and early 20th centuries marked the Golden Age of postcards. Advances in printing technology made it possible to produce cards in large quantities, and they quickly became a popular means of communication. Postcards featured everything from scenic views and portraits to humorous cartoons and advertisements. They were an affordable way to send a quick note, share travel experiences, and stay in touch with loved ones.
One amusing aspect of early postcards was their use as a form of social media. Much like today’s Instagram, people would send postcards to boast about their travels, share snippets of their lives, and even engage in a bit of oneupmanship. “Wish you were here” became more than just a phrase—it was a way to showcase exotic destinations and adventures and make your friends and family jealous.
And who can forget the “saucy” seaside picture postcards? Full of cheeky innuendo and double entendre.
Postcards also played a significant role during wartime. Soldiers sent them from the front lines to reassure their families, and patriotic themes and propaganda were common on the cards. During World War I and II, postcards provided a vital link between soldiers and their loved ones.
With the advent of telephones and the internet, the postcard’s popularity waned. Why wait days for a message to arrive when you could just pick up your mobile and send a photo or an email? Yet, despite these technological advances, postcards never truly disappeared. In recent years, they have experienced a nostalgic revival. Collectors seek out vintage postcards, some of which can fetch a hefty price.
Picture postcards can also be a great way to remember the trips you make—tangible images you can stick in an album instead of scrolling through your mobile phone. With the added bonus that the images are taken by professionals, not the out of focus, skew-whiff shots you may have managed to take.
As we hurtle through the digital age, the postcard remains a cherished means of communication. A reminder that sometimes, the old ways are the best ways. So, the next time you’re travelling and want to brighten someone’s day, consider sending a postcard. A small gesture with a big impact that could really cheer someone up.
These articles are researched and written by Laura Billingham, a local content writer and author. Laura moved
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Heritage of Bakewell
AUGUST 2024
TUDOR TIMES
The era of the Tudors was one of the most fascinating and turbulent periods in British history. Starting with Henry VII, the dynasty lasted for 118 years. Of course, the most notorious and memorable of all the Tudors is Henry VIII. He is famous for tearing Britain away from the Church of Rome and setting himself up as head of the Church of England, oh, and for having six wives.
Henry’s elder brother Arthur was heir to the throne. Arthur married Katherine of Aragon but he died only months later so when Henry VII died in 1509, young Henry, who was eighteen, became King Henry VIII. Within a week he married his brother’s widow, fifteen-year-old Katherine. Only days later with much celebration their coronation was held in Westminster Abbey. The couple were well received by the public.
Henry and Katherine had six children, but sadly only one survived, a girl they named Mary. As King, Henry needed a son and heir. He became besotted by Ann Boleyn, one of his wife’s waiting ladies. He began to resent Katherine, deciding his marriage must be cursed, that he and Katherine would never be able to produce a son because she had previously been his brother’s wife. At that time the Roman Catholic Church was all powerful in England. When the Pope refused to give Henry permission to divorce Katherine, he broke with Rome, made himself Head of the Church and the Church of England was founded. He declared that his marriage to Katherine was invalid, then immediately married Ann, who soon gave birth to yet another daughter, Elizabeth.
Clearly a serial philanderer, Henry fell in love with Jane Seymour, another lady in waiting. Ann was accused of adultery, convicted then beheaded. Henry was free to marry Jane. She soon gave birth to a son,
Edward and Henry finally had his heir. But celebrations had barely begun before Jane died.
Single once more Henry’s advisers suggested he marry Anne of Cleeves. After seeing a painting of her, he agreed. It was not a good likeness and when he met Anne he said she was ‘ugly.’ Unsurprisingly, they didn’t get on. Luckily for her, this Anne was offered, and happily accepted, a divorce. She was given a generous settlement and allowed to live.
Catherine Howard, another lady in waiting was next to catch the eye of the king. Henry, now forty-nine years old, was vastly overweight and unable to walk because of gout. The delightful Catherine, barely seventeen, was full of life. He showered her with gifts and they were soon married. Less than a year later rumours emerged of her infidelity. She was accused of adultery, tried for treason and promptly beheaded. Ever the optimist Henry still hadn’t given up on marriage. Within a year he married Catherine Parr, a widow who looked after his children.
When Henry VIII died in 1547, his and Jane’s ten-year-old son became King Edward VI. Six years later, when Edward died, Katherine’s daughter Mary came to the throne. She ruled for five years and died in 1558 leaving her sister, Elizabeth, daughter of Henry and Ann Boleyn to succeed.
As we know, Elizabeth I had a long and successful reign of forty-five years. But from the day she was born her life was under threat. Surrounded by power seeking counsellors whose plotting and intrigues meant her life was far from relaxed, Elizabeth lived her whole life in fear of those around her, she could trust no one. It’s strange to think of all that dastardly scheming going on in London whilst here the Parsonage House (Old House Museum) was being built in sleepy Bakewell. Oh but wait… plots were afoot here too courtesy of a certain Anthony Babington and friends… but that’s another story…
The Old House Museum opens every day from 11am to 4pm.
Don’t forget our popular group tours of the town, tours of the museum and ghost tours are all available as are museum tours for schools. Please see the website for opening hours and prices. Alternatively contact the museum to book or for details of tours.
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Slimming World Recipe
Chilli-loaded wedges
1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Put the wedges on a non-stick baking tray, spray with low-calorie cooking spray and season lightly. Bake for 25 minutes, then turn, spray again and bake for a further 25 minutes until golden.
2. At the same time, spray a nonstick frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and put it over a medium-high heat. Add the mince and stir-fry for 10 minutes, then add the onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until softened. Add the pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the canned tomatoes.
3. Sprinkle in the cumin, fajita seasoning, paprika and a few twists of black pepper. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the fresh tomatoes. Remove from the heat.
4. Preheat your grill to high. Tip the wedges into an ovenproof dish, spoon over the mince and sprinkle over the cheese. Add the chillies, if using, and grill for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese starts to brown. Divide between 2 plates and serve.
• 2 baking potatoes, cut into wedges
• Low-calorie cooking spray
• 250g lean beef mince (5% fat or less)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
• 230g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp fajita seasoning*
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 80g reduced-fat Cheddar
• Fresh green jalapeno chillies, finely chopped (optional)
*Spice blends are Free so long as they’re made from herbs and spices only and don’t include any Synned ingredients, like sugar, flour or oil. Check the label to be sure and count the Syns as necessary.
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✽ Close to a range of dog friendly pubs, cafes and restaurants in stunning Warkworth
✽ We have fast fibre Wi-Fi and smart TV’s Search ‘The Little Red
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BOOK REVIEW
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray is a hefty book. Shortlisted for last year’s Booker Prize, winner of any number of other prizes and scoring highly in many book of the year recommendations, it’s a 650 page immersive dive into a well-to-do Irish family trying to recover from the 2008 financial crisis.
Make no mistake, the Barnes are in deep trouble. From running the biggest company in the area, they’re now on the edge of bankruptcy, children are going astray, marriage on the edge and to
THE BEE STING - PAUL MURRAY
make things worse, because they had a position in the local community, everyone knows what’s going on.
It’s great entertainment, funny and tragic at the same time and great on the human condition, the writing is sharp and clever and stylistically quite different. Mr Murray is also very good at pulling the rug from under readers so you never know quite what to expect.
It might be long but it’s a real page turner and full of insight into what makes people tick.
HERITAGE PAINTING: PRESERVING HISTORY WITH CARE
Heritage painting encompasses the careful restoration and enhancement of historical features, from buildings to toys and steam engines. This practice requires a keen understanding of both the existing state and historical context of the item being painted, aiming to conserve or sympathetically improve its aesthetic and character.
For properties in conservation areas or listed buildings, obtaining consent from local authorities is often necessary, especially if the work alters the building’s appearance. Changing color schemes or treating previously untreated areas might need specific permissions to ensure harmony with local architectural styles.
Traditional Paints and Regulations
Using traditional paints, such as those containing lead or high solvent content (VOCs), may be appropriate for Grade I or II* listed properties. These materials are regulated, and Historic England oversees their approval. The process involves necessary paperwork through material suppliers, often taking several weeks for approval.
Historical Wall Paintings
Historically, wall paintings have adorned architectural surfaces, ranging from plain colours and decorative patterns to figurative schemes and narrative storylines. These decorations highlighted architectural features and often imitated more expensive materials.
Gilding Techniques
Gilding, used for luxurious finishes, involves applying gold leaf to prepared surfaces. Water gilding, found occasionally in architecture, involves applying gold leaf to damp gesso, then burnishing it to a brilliant finish. Oil gilding, more common, requires a slightly adhesive surface for gold leaf application, followed by polishing to perfection.
Trompe l’Oeil
This technique, meaning “trick of the eye” in French, creates painted illusions that deceive the viewer. Popular since the Renaissance, these decorations enhance architectural spaces by adding a sense of depth and light.
Conservation of Plasters
Lime and gypsum plaster conservation involves cleaning, reinstating, and remodelling decorative plasters. Traditional moulding and casting techniques are used, often with new materials to ensure longevity.
Marbling and Graining
Marbling imitates marble using paint, building layers of pigments for depth and translucency. This technique dates back to Ancient Egypt and became popular in Europe during the Georgian, Regency, and Victorian periods. Graining mimics exotic wood grains on non-wood surfaces, providing a cost-effective alternative to expensive timbers.
Heritage Painting Tips
• Avoid painting over unpainted brickwork and stonework.
• Preserve unpainted and varnished interior elements.
• Retain evidence of previous paint layers for historical reference.
• Ensure some paint is left for future touchups.
Heritage painting is not just about aesthetics; it’s about preserving history and ensuring that the beauty and character of historical items endure for future generations.
Guess the words and Fill in the crossword ! Pitcherwits®
!
Across
1 Hit the ground running on raft of styling details (6,5)
5 Spot members for a walk on deck? (3,4)
14 Carroll’s sky flyer used as drinks holder (3,4)
16 Prevent from passing lbw at hockey? Ridiculous! (5,3,3)
Pitcherwits® are crossword puzzles where some of the clues are in pictures. Sound easy? It’s not called “Pit-your-wits” for nothing! The mixture of cryptic and picture clues, combined with Professor Rebus’ unique sense of humour, will keep you entertained for hours. These puzzles
Across
9 Throw it up to where the organ is (4)
10 Leave out of my inclusive talk firstly (4)
11 Log growth of Northern tree (5)
12 Resonant, and sent out as colours mixed (4)
13 Tackle the terrible rage (4)
Down
2 Positive reply, but a bit slowly established (3)
3 Donkey to arrive in the passage of time (3)
7 Omitted when caught underside (4,3)
14 Also sounding like a pair (3)
15 Goodbye willow, less the tree! (3)
1 Crustacean violin player? (7,4)
4 Reserve yurt in the attic? Bonkers! (11)
6 Tenet, loosely held, points to an alliance (7)
8 ‘Garbage in, garbage out’ era now in such a state (7)
Summer is finally here and with it comes memories of endless school holidays and playing out until it was time for tea.
Our adventures were unplanned and we had nothing with us except perhaps an empty jam jar for catching minnows or frogs. Our friends were our fellowadventurers. We didn’t seem to get hungry, cold or tired. If we did pop home, we might have a stick of rhubarb with a saucer of sugar, eaten on the doorstep. Berries were picked and eaten when in season. Dens were made, improved upon, abandoned and new dens made.
My dad recounts times of how he and his mates caught the early morning milk train going from Derby and ending up in Blackpool. All this with no money and no plan.
Family days out would certainly have included a rucksack or a duffel bag with paper folded map, an
itchy tartan rug, a thermos flask with a cork stopper or bottle of cold tea. And always sandwiches. The fillings could include jam, luncheon meat or spam, fish paste, potted dog or smelly egg. It all tasted good out of doors.
We grazed our knees, fell into and out of friendships, had fights, got lost and got into mischief. But we made wonderful memories.
Janet and Paul Barrass are All Around the Shire. Find us on or email: oldfield512@btinternet.com for
With several years experience in commercial electrics, I am confident and experienced in all ranges of tasks and projects.
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SUMMERTIME SWALLOWS
It is said that ‘one swallow does not a summer make’, but of course these summertime visitors are one of our most evocative birds of the Peak District. There are two cousins of the swallow which are also stunning little birds but perhaps less widely known. These are the sand martin and the house martin, the former occurring in nesting colonies along rivers like the Derwent at Chatsworth. There they establish colonies of nests in holes made in soft, sandy riverbanks. With white undersides and dull, brown plumage on the back and upperparts, this is the least known of the swallow tribe. The house martin nests in constructions of clay and other material that cling to the undersides of house-eaves and structures such as bridges and the like. These little birds have brilliant white undersides and strikingly white rumps, with blue-black upperparts. They are very noticeable as they fly around houses and other buildings. The most obvious difference between swallows and martins is the long tail streamers so characteristic of the former.
Swallows are also closely associated with human habitation as they build their nests on rafters and beams or shelves in buildings, and so need easy access to fly in and out. The adults become very tolerant of people being nearby as they come to feed the increasingly demanding youngsters. Once the baby swallows leave the nest, with a diet made up entirely of flying insects, they are still dependent on their parents for a regular supply of food. Of course, this is becoming a problem since aerial
insect populations are generally plummeting and this is an issue for insect-feeders such as swallows, martins, and swifts during daytime, and bats in the evening and nighttime. Such a situation is now compounded by extreme weather and this year, long periods unseasonably cool and wet, which are bad conditions for insects like moths.
We can help all these iconic birds by supporting initiatives for more wildflower meadows to aid the flying insects. So, ideas like ‘no mow May’ are great but of course this also needs to include not mowing until late July so that butterflies, moths, and other insects can thrive and hatch as adults. The other key to success is in leaving areas a little more untidy in both gardens and the countryside, again so insects can survive. Being a member of the local Wildlife Trust is good in supporting nature reserves, and the National Trust also manages wonderful flower-rich meadows, for example, on their Longshaw Estate behind the Grouse Inn at Froggatt. Take a look there and you will see how groups of swallow and martins hawk the insects over the flowers.
If you have space, then allowing swallows to nest in outbuildings is essential for their future, or perhaps putting up house martin nestboxes under eaves etc also helps. You can even make a difference by allowing or creating areas of wildflower meadows and wildflower lawns. Indeed, every little helps and we can all do our bit to secure the future of these lovely birds with benefit to us too, as their presence tells us of summertime.
Gardener’s Calendar
Top Tip:
Your containers will be stuffed with roots by now, especially with all the rain, so it’s a good idea to keep them looking good by feeding them a little more, and keep up with the deadheading and watering – they’ll get dry very quickly.
If individual plants in the pot start to suffer, ditch them and replace with new space fillers in a bit of new compost.
Cut back faded perennials and take out straggly stems. You may find new growth already coming on behind and in any case the new growth when it does come through will look much brighter.
This is the last chance to cut back this year’s flowering philadelphus to ensure you’ll get flowers next year. Also cut back rambling roses, taking back about a third of stems once they’ve flowered, making room for next year’s growth.
If you’ve had a wildflower area this year, this is the time to mow it – plants will have scattered their seed ready for next year’s display.
Pinch out the growing tip of your tomatoes. You might get more flowers now but the fruit is unlikely to ripen before cold weather comes along - plus it means the plant puts more effort into existing trusses.
Beat the Summer Rain!
We all know how unpredictable a British summer can be and the feeling of disappointment when those long-planned events must be deferred due to bad weather or the spontaneous gettogethers turn into damp squibs.
There are two companies, however, who have a solution to solve those problems and make hosting possible, whatever the weather.
Cabin Master and Arctic Cabins create high-quality garden rooms and BBQ cabins, featuring exceptional craftsmanship and innovative designs, so that you can enjoy the outdoors in comfort - all year round.
The ultimate garden luxury, you can find a timber cabin which suits your lifestyle perfectly.
From a new office space, gym or dedicated hot-tub room, to a relaxing garden room or kitted-out BBQ cabin to enjoy your favourite food with friends and family, there are so many ways to enhance your everyday with these multi-functional garden features.
And it’s easier than ever to find out more at the duo’s openair show site in Stapleford, Nottingham - which is also the location of an exciting event coming this August.
Ambassador of Arctic Cabins and a proud owner of one of its designs, celebrity chef Aldo Zilli is coming to the Nottingham site to demonstrate how you can transform your outdoor get-togethers and everyday meals.
Sunday 4th August from 11am to 3pm, Aldo will cook his favourite BBQ recipes for guests to see and sample.
While you’re visiting the site, you can also explore the Hydropool Midlands showroom to find out more about its selfcleaning hot tubs and swim spas to add another element of relaxation to your garden.
