From the Editor
*Windrustling,creepycrawliesscattering,owlshootingandghosts howling*#settingthescene
“Hello Boils and Ghouls, I’m glad you could make it to my crypt party!” (a directreferenceforanyonewhousedtowatch‘TalesfromtheCrypt’).
WeareofficiallyintotheseasonofPumpkinSpicedLatteandcindertoffee –hurrah!
Firstthingsfirst,Ihopeyouloveourfrontcoversasmuchaswedo!We’ve gonewithahorrorcomictheme.OurdesignerLisahadsomuchfuncreating these, and we think we’ve bossed the Halloween brief this year! If you wanttoreadmoreabouthorrorcomicsLauraBillinghamhaspennedagreat articleinside.
At the time of print I’ve only had a few minor disasters this month, such asthesolesofmyshoescomingoffmidwaythroughthedogwalkandmy tardiness shaming me again as we ran through the lobby of a black-tie event we were attending, in jeans and t-shirts, passing everyone in their penguinsuitsandelegantdresses–standard!We’vestillgotthewedding oftheyeartoattendasyetbutI’mconfidentthatwillbeasmoothsailing eventforallinvolved………………….
With the clocks going back this month (27th October in case you haven’t clockedityet!),IthinkwecanofficiallymentiontheChrimboword.We’re already working on our end of year editions, so if you need to publicise anythingorboostyoursales,giveusashout.Iknowthatsomeoftheteam at Voice Magazines have already started talking to Santa and got their giftshoppingunderway…..obviouslynotme….that’sreservedlargelyforthe 20th December. If you’re already thinking ahead then why not enter our ChristmasGiftFairticketscompetition.Seeinsideformoredetails.
Anyhoo, have a spooky October and in the words of the Crypt…. “Just a cheery Crypt Day wish to let you know we’re trusting. But each and every passingyearwillmakeyoumoredisgusting.”
Scaryreadingeverybody,
CAN A COMIC BE SCARY?
a
As we approach the creepiest time of the year – aka Halloween – the topic of “horror comics” arose at Voice HQ.
Now I will admit to being totally in the dark (get it?) about such scary mags, but I agreed to delve deeply into the wonders of online search engines to see what I could uncover about these spine-chilling missives.
First of all I input “horror comics” into the search bar…
This is what I was presented with, “A horror comic is a comic book, graphic novel, or manga that focuses on horror fiction. Horror comics have been around since the 1940s, when they began to emerge from crime comics that included supernatural and macabre elements.”
So far so good…except I am absolutely sure they were around before the 1940s – “penny dreadfuls” springs to mind, and they were around in the 19th century. Penny dreadfuls were stories published in weekly parts of 8 to 16 pages, each costing one penny. The stories were sensational, focusing on the exploits of detectives, criminals, and supernatural entities.
The description of a penny dreadful is so similar to that of a horror comic that I was left with the impression that the former was a particularly British publication, whilst the latter, although touching on the same subject matters, was more widespread and originated in the USA. I will stand corrected if I have misinterpreted this!
I’ve digressed (as per usual) – back to “horror comics”.
My friend Google says, “horror comics have their roots in American crime comics
such as Thrilling Crime and Crime Does Not Pay”. (Looks like I was right then…)
The first dedicated horror comic books appear to be Gilberton Publications’ Classic Comics (August 1943), with its full-length adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
In January 1947, Avon Publications’ anthology Eerie No.1 became the first horror comic with original content.
We Brits appear to have been rather anti these American horror comics, with panicked headlines in the press such as “Now Ban This Filth That Poisons Our Children,” “Drive Out the Horror Comics.” In fact, in 1955 the (Children and Young Persons) Harmful Publications Act came into force which forbade the importation or publication of horror comics in the UK that were likely to fall into the hands of children.
Perhaps it was the use of the word “comic” in these publications which discombobulated the great and the good in the UK. After all, to us, comics are something children read, and the contents of horror comics were (are) definitely not child friendly!
There were British horror comics, and one, “Misty”, first published in 1978 and aimed at young women, has just had a reboot with an all-new 48 page anthology special published in July.
As someone who has never been a fan of comics, the lure of horror ones passed me by and I can say with certainty that I’ll be passing on any reboots!
These articles are researched and written by
Laura Billingham, a local
content
writer and author.
Laura moved to the Peak District several years ago to pursue her passion for writing.
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2. Add the onion, garlic, paprika and thyme to the pan and fry in the chorizo oil for 5 minutes or until the onion begins to soften.
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So, October means Autumn has properly arrived, and it really is the season of the senses. So why not tickle those tastebuds with this warming, yummy soup?
3. Pour in the stock and stir in the sweet potatoes, passata and beans. Bring to the boil over a high heat then cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
4. Season to taste, reunite the chorizo with the soup and heat through gently. Scatter over the parsley and thyme sprigs to serve.
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• 40g chorizo, diced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ tsp smoked paprika (sweet or hot, whichever floats your boat)
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus sprigs to serve
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• 2 large sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
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• 400g can mixed beans, drained and rinsed
• Chopped fresh parsley, to serve
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AMBER VALLEY RUGBY CLUB
MEN AND WOMEN MEMORIAL DAY
On 31st August, Amber Valley RUFC held a special day of Rugby and Remembrance, honouring the club’s history and its cherished members. Over 35 players from six clubs came together, showing the strength of community and rugby values passed down through generations.
Valley Ladies Rugby started by playing Derby RUFC in memory of Alison Axelson. Following that, the men’s team took on the Derbyshire Barbarians in tribute to the late Bob Whitfield, whose connections with teams across the region were fondly remembered. Coach Stuart Artliff came on to play for the Barbarians, leading to some lighthearted banter in the clubhouse later! The day was a true celebration of unity, with familiar and new faces supporting the teams. Men’s Team - Contact Stuart at 07966 867 946. Women’s Team - Contact Gareth at 07595 520 537.
The Minis & Juniors ‘Try Rugby’ day was a fantastic success, bringing excitement and plenty of new and returning faces. There was lots of energy and positivity as young players, supported by volunteers from the Ladies team and senior men’s members, took to the field.
The event demonstrated that Amber Valley is more than a club with separate sections -it’s a family. Everyone came together to make the day unforgettable, proving that the spirit of rugby runs deep at Amber Valley, across all ages.
For those interested in joining, call Paul at 07790 403 043.
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Flake’ s Favourites
Re-walking Rafa’s Rambles
Flake is back! A small grass seed kept him out of commission last month but nothing could have held him back this month and it’s fair to say we all loved this walk.
This walk makes excellent use of the Five Pits Trail and Pheonix Greenways around Holmewood. The walk begins at the Timber lane carpark and then heads north along the Five Pits Trail. The walk circles around Holmewood, through picturesque countryside before passing through the pretty Heath Village and heading back along the Five Pits Trail to the start.
6 MILE CIRCULAR WALK FROM TIMBER LANE CAR PARK, NEAR ASTWITH.
A longer but fairly gentle walk for you and your dog. The route should take around 3 hours. There is a small stretch of road so please take care, especially with your dog. The terrain is generally very good but there are fields and undulating paths, so a good pair of boots are always advised. Be careful with dogs around fishing ponds and as always please follow the countryside code.
START: 6 MILE CIRCULAR FROM TIMBER LANE CAR PARK, NEAR ASTWITH. S45 8AL (JUST OFF THE B6039 TIBSHELF TO CHESTERFIELD ROAD)
1. After parking the car walk back towards the car park entrance and bear left to pass a sign for ‘Five Pits Trial Pheonix Greenways’. Pass through a wooden gate and after a short distance at a signposted crossroads of footpaths, turn left into a field.
2. Keeping the hedge on your left continue straight ahead to the far side of the field. At a gap in the hedgerows continue straight ahead, keeping to the left of a hedgerow directly in front of you. Continue with this hedgerow on your right until reaching a gate.
3. Pass through the gate, turn right and continue with a fence on your right. Pass through another wooden gate and continue straight with a hedge on your right. Pass through a wooden gate, over a footbridge and continue straight to cross the middle of an open field. At the far side pass over a stile and turn left back onto the Five Pits Trail.
4. Continue ahead, ignoring any gates and following the path round to the left, then right to reach a road. Go straight across and continue along the trail. Continue and pass over a crossroads of footpaths before passing a large pond on your right *NOTE: NO DOGS ALLOWED IN THE WATER. Immediately after the pond turn right at a T-junction and continue until you pass underneath a road.
5. Continue until the trail splits left and right, take the right split signposted for ‘Williamthorpe’.
6. After some distance pass a large pond off to the right. The trail then descends steeply to cross over a bridge and then begins to climb steeply. Cross over a crossroads of trails and follow the sign for ‘Holmewood’ and ‘Five Pits Trail’.
7. At another crossroads of trails turn left, signposted for ‘Grassmoor’. Follow the trail to a road, cross over this road and continue straight ahead keeping the hedge on your right to cross the field.
8. Pass through a gap and continue straight ahead with the hedge on your right. Pass through another gap and continue straight ahead to the far side of this field. At the far side, bear left to
continue along the edge of the field and then pass over a stile on your right. Continue straight ahead passing by a wooden gate and onto a road.
9. Turn right along the road. After a short distance the road bends sharp right. Continue to follow the road and onto a T-junction. Turn right along the main road and keep to the right-hand side footpath. Before reaching a petrol station look left for a bridlepath, signposted for ‘Holmewood’ and ‘Five Pits Trail’. Cross to take the bridlepath.
10. Continue straight ahead for a short distance and then bear right to continue along the bridlepath. After some distance ignore the footpath to the left signposted for ‘Stainsby’ and continue to a crossroad of footpaths. Turn right onto a footpath signposted for the ‘Five Pits Trail’.
11. Continue straight ahead for some distance, keeping a metal fence on your right. When reaching a footpath on your left that has a wooden chicane, turn left to pass through the chicane and pass over a crossroads of footpaths. Continue straight ahead until you reach another wooden chicane.
12. At this point ignore the footpath signposted for ‘Stainsby’ to your left and continue straight ahead to pass through the chicane and back onto the Five Pits Trail.
13. Continue straight ahead until reaching a road. Cross the road diagonally left and continue along the trail. Continue straight ahead until you reach a fork in the trail. Bear left and continue until you reach the start/finish.
This walk is for illustrative purposes only. Voice Magazines Ltd takes no responsibility for anyone who chooses to follow this route and encourages all walkers to obey all byelaws and signs and to respect the area they are walking in, ensuring they pick up all dog mess and obey the countryside code at all times.
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WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS
To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets, simply locate the three Christmas symbols in the magazine and email the page numbers along with your number and address so we can send you the tickets if you win to: community@voicemagazines.co.uk with the headline NEC tickets. All submissions to be in by 31st October 2024.
Dog Grooming
Pinxton & South Normanton History Group
OCTOBER 2024
PINXTON IN WORLD WAR II
When Reverend Ronald Horton started to write the Church Magazine for January 1940, the country was already at war with Germany.
Thirteen parishioners had already enlisted and were on active service:
Wireless Officer Terry Bird
Seamen Aurther Cotterill and Colin Anthony
Marines Tom Mills and Harry Moss
Corporal Howarth Cotterill
Lance Corps. Selwyn Baxter & William Baxter
Sappers Frank Matkin, Franks Amos & Denis Lawrence
Private Percy Iles
Gunner Stanley Clarke
As he wrote, the village had said goodbye to the old Parish Church, part of which had been demolished after the Easter Sunday Service. Frenetic activity had resulted in a new enlarged building which had been dedicated by the bishop.
Residents were still spoiled for choice as to where to shop, and Pigeon racers could buy ‘Home First Seed’; a special seed mixture by James Taylor’s shop at the Wharf Road Store. Their wives could make the best cakes
and pastries with ‘Taylor’s Self Raising Flour’.
Then there was Booths of Manchester House, general draper and complete house furnisher, which could be contacted by telephoning ‘Pinxton2’. If it was coal or transportation, you required Mr. James Watson, was your man!
If confectionary was your preference just telephone Pinxton 61 or pop along to Mr. Bingley’s on Wharf Road – he was noted for delivering to all parts of the village daily! If fish or game was more to your liking, then Mr. J H Drury and Son on ‘Market Place’ (modern day North Street), was the place you required. You could also get your fresh fruit and vegetables, or a freshly made salad at the same time.
If it was a funeral you had to arrange you were spoiled for choice; Geo Hoten and Sons on Town Street (more recognisable in more recent times as Derek Gent – sadly no longer); or Alf Yeomans and Sons on Slade Lane.
No problems either, if you wanted to listen to Lord Haw-Haw (the best comedian on radio at the time according to Rev. Horton).
Then you had Ernest Spiers on Wilson Street and Johnny Moran, both of whom would provide you with a new ‘wireless’, or if it was just a question of re-charging
your accumulator, both provided ‘the very best service’, not to mention ‘the best, most up to date’ radio servicing equipment in the district!
If it was pain relief you craved, then take a short walk down Wharf Road, where you were guaranteed relief from, ‘humanity’s great scourge –‘rheumatism!’. Mr Steel was guaranteeing relief from the first day of taking his special tablets –and for only 1/- a bottle (2/6d for the outsized one).
If it was light relief of a different kind you wanted, then you needed to make your way to Pinxton Miners Welfare Institute, where the dramatic society was staging, ‘Ambrose Applejohn’s Adventure’.
By April of 1940, fifty-two sons’ of the village were in uniform.
On Sunday 2nd June 1940, three ‘bus loads of children arrived at the John King Infants’ School, Slade Lane, at 2.45 pm, from Kent. Within two hours they had all been allocated foster parents for the duration of the war.
Sixty-seven young local men were now ‘serving’ their country, and Pinxton was a mining village and mining was a reserved occupation!!
At this date the telephone exchange was at Spiers shop on Wilson Street, and Henrietta Spiers was the operator.
Guess the words and Fill in the crossword !
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9 As a result of a layer of the Church (5)
10 Somewhere below a revolting person (5)
12 Some characters will have nothing to do with an elk (5)
Down
2 Fish around while re-supplying liners forsailing away (5)
3 Gas supplied for extension that’s an off-site build (5)
11 Bulge is slightly dented at Little Horn (5)
13 Seoul confused about the flyer (5)
Across 1 Ox is a blessing in disguise for old train features (6,5)
Chooses power, but victimises (5,2)
Spectacular sort of drinks containers? (7)
It used to make driving a bit flat! (5,6)
Are they boggy, seasonally? (4,7)
To reek, per se, makes shopping his business! (11)
Dispersed or local, it’s a circle of flowers (7)
Plans to play me at chess (7)
Ankle,
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Our resident muser has the mike...
Mike is always glad to hear from you at : mike.musings@outlook.com
Sorry, but I couldn’t miss the opportunity to sound you out on this!
The series of articles on If I was Prime Minister will continue – just wait until you hear what Wendy from Alfreton has been ranting about! - but, with the Paris Olympics still fresh in the memory, I simply had to postpone for a month, to give advance notice of some new events planned for Los Angeles in 2028. These have come from John in Selston, who is encouraging Voice Magazine readers to get training in the hope that we can have plenty of local medal winners in four years’ time.
1. Hanging out the Washing. This would be a timed knock out event with the fastest competitors going through to the next round. Extra time would be required in the event of level pegging.
2. The 100 metres Egg & Spoon Hurdles.
3. Kilted Cartwheeling. NB – this will be the opening event at the Athletics Stadium.
4. The 800 metre Three-Legged Race. In this, participants would face different ways with one facing forwards and the other backwards. The race would be split into two sections of 400 metres with pairs having to return to the start line without turning round.
5. Underwater Origami.
6. The 100 metre Leap Frog Race. Similar to a hurdles race, this would require just one set of evenly spaced statuesque ‘frogs’ on the track. Once all competitors had cleared the ‘frogs’ the heights would be raised, and just like High Jumpers and Pole Vaulters, they’d be gradually eliminated as they failed to clear a ‘frog’.
7. The 1,500 metre Sack Race. In this, rather than the childish version of the sport, contestants would place the sack over their heads as opposed to legs.
8. Two Kilometre Coxless Four Rowing. In this, the four would head one way over the first kilometre and then, like the Three-Legged racers, return to the starting point, without turning the craft around. This requires particular skills and is known in the sport as combined conventional and reverse rowing.
9. Blindfolded Monopoly.
10. Pass the Parcel. In the Olympic version of this age-old sport, once the music stops, the competitor holding the parcel would be asked to head-butt the person to their left. Over a period of time, as competitors are carried out of the Arena, the medal winners emerge. Those found to be keeping hold of the parcel longer than five seconds are automatically disqualified.
11. Caber Tossing.
12. Naked Tug of War. NB - this would be a mixed event.
13. Hide & Seek – This would be a team event held in the Athletics Stadium with eight competitors from each nation seeking to find the opposing eight. Once all eight are found and identified that particular team is eliminated. NB – to encourage spectator participation, nowhere WITHIN THE STADIUM would be off limits.
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STARLINGS ARE FLOCKING IN THE PEAK DISTRICT
Throughout the summertime, family parties of starling have been visiting garden feeders and then grouping into larger flocks to visit the moors and bogs of the Peak. From a situation where their numbers were dropping rather sharply a few years back, it seems that these birds are now doing rather well. Certainly, the local breeding birds are thriving, and as we move into the autumn they are joined by large numbers of migrant birds from continental Europe, and the flocks grow in size. Depending on the weather both here and elsewhere, by the later autumn and into winter, there may be a build-up into the famous ‘murmurations’ where in the late afternoon, sometimes millions of birds gather. The lagoons above Stony Middleton are one of the best sites to check out as the birds come in as smaller flocks from every direction.
So, we have both local-bred birds and those from elsewhere in Britain and also from northern Europe. One of the things that does cause confusion is the dramatic differences in plumage between the dark but multi-coloured adult starlings and their juveniles. The latter have distinctive pale grey heads, necks, and mantles, and they are so different that people assume it is another species altogether. Of course, the reason for the differences is that the youngsters are still learning the ropes in terms of how to survive in the wider world, and the other birds need to recognise them as juveniles, still semi-dependent, and not fully fledged adult birds. Soon however, these babies will morph gently into adulthood and moult into their grown-up plumage.
The same processes happen with other birds though not always so dramatically. My garden robins have included juveniles which lack the red breast and sport speckled markings which are rather thrush-like in their appearance. Of course, if the youngsters had bright red breast they would trigger, not the parental response to provide food, but sheer aggression against a perceived rival. Even a small, red ball in the garden can have the same result! Many young birds have a pronounced yellow marking around the base of the bill and called a ‘gape’ which produces an uncontrollable urge by an adult to stick food into it. Herring gulls go a step further where the adult has a red spot on the beak, and this triggers a response from the youngster to peck at it. In reaction to this action, the adult bird regurgitates a tasty meal of warm, part-digested fish or something similar. All this just goes to show how important these differences in markings and behaviour are to bird survival. The wrong markings or plumage will lead to a confused or possibly damaging outcome.
The changes in plumage and markings from juvenile to adult may happen over a number of years for longlived, larger birds like common buzzards and eagles for instance, especially those where the juvenile has much to learn. For these species survival is a craft to be carefully learnt, and success is breeding somewhere down the line. For smaller birds however, they are short-lived, and the changes occur quickly during the first year as juveniles morph into full adults. By next season, so long as they survive the winter, then they will be the new parents and there will be a fresh generation of youngsters
ADULT STARLING
JUVENILE STARLING
Gardener’s Calendar
October is a month for tidying up – and looking forward to spring.
Plants such as Buddleia and anything else which you would generally prune back hard in spring can be cut back by about half to stop them being affected by wind rock from winter gales which can weaken plants. Hedges can be trimmed now to neaten their shape and climbing and rambling roses should also be taken back and stems tied in to protect the bush before winter.
Old flower stems on perennials can be cut as low as you can to the ground, but those which have seedheads such as honesty or thistles can be left to provide a bit of shape to
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