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Quirky Britain

Pun-tastic … Why the British Love Corny One-liners

At the 2019 Edinburgh Festival the prize for ‘Dave’s Funniest Joke of The Fringe’ was awarded to a Swedish comedian known as Olaf Falafel, who triumphed with his quip: “I keep randomly shouting out ‘Broccoli’ and ‘Cauliflower’ – I think I might have florets.”

Back in 2017, Chinese comedian Ken Cheng won the award for his gag: “I’m not a fan of the new pound coin, but then again, I hate all change.” Turn back the clock even further to 2015 and the funniest joke award went to Darren Walsh for the simple but ingenious: “I just deleted all the German names off my phone. It’s Hans-free.”

Whether you love or loathe them, the jokes that have the biggest impact on British audiences are puns.

What is a pun?

A pun is a play on two or more words that sound the same (or almost the same) but have different meanings. In Britain we have a long and distinguished history of punning, with the first recorded use of the term dating back to 1643, but the practice of pun-making is even older than that. The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle considered puns to be a kind of literary deception because they are open to different meanings.

Although this kind of comic wordplay is undoubtedly popular, puns are often considered to be a low form of humour. We talk about ‘terrible’ puns and ‘bad jokes’, as if puns are a cheap laugh, easily understood by an audience. The reality couldn’t be further from the truth, as brain studies reveal it requires a degree of mental gymnastics to appreciate a pun.

Getting to the punchline

Humans organise their knowledge into memory structures known as schemas, so when we see, think or hear of something, the schema containing the relevant stored information is activated. When we hear Darren Walsh’s joke about deleting German names from his phone, our immediate response is to create a mental picture of a mobile phone with the help of our phone-related schema. But Darren is also talking about German names, so we call on another schema to remember how these names sound.

It may take us a moment to process the difference between ‘Hans-free’ (a phone with no records of people with the name Hans) and ‘hands-free’ (a way of using a phone without having to hold it), but when we do, the surprising and unexpected juxtaposition between these two schemas makes us laugh.

Popular punsters

Some of our best known comedians have built their careers on delivering carefully crafted puns. Described as ‘The King of the One-liner’, Tim Vine’s jokes are legendary. Milton Jones is another high profile comedian who bases much of his comic material on puns. Speaking to The Scotsman newspaper in 2017, he claimed his successful style grew out of the “British tradition of nonsense.”

So next time you hear a pun, don’t groan: consider the comic genius it took to think it up and appreciate the steps your brain goes through to enjoy it. You might also consider how much the humble pun has contributed to British culture, from William Chaucer to today’s celebrated stand-up comedians.

By Kate McLelland

Local History

Princess Diana Opens Belper Red Cross Centre

Fifty years ago I received permission from Derbyshire Red Cross to establish a voluntary aid detachment in Belper, so I set about finding somewhere to run courses to train interested volunteers in first aid and nursing.

My first thought was to try Babington Hospital in Belper. An interview with the Matron and Hospital Secretary led to permission to use the disused Training Room at the hospital. So began many years of building up a thriving detachment and several groups of youth members, all giving service in various ways to the people of Belper.

In a structural reorganisation in 1974, National Headquarters asked the branches to set up centres in each town which would draw together the Red Cross services in their area, overseen by a centre organiser. Belper Centre was quickly established and run from the Centre Organiser’s home. By 1989 it was apparent that an office with regular opening hours was desirable to handle the amount of work coming in. Again the Hospital Secretary of the time was approached, and he offered the former chapel which was only used for storage. This proved acceptable to all parties, and the Red Cross took it over in 1991 after the refurbishment of the room.

As the Centre was the only one in the country to be set up in a hospital, thoughts turned to having an official opening to mark the event. The Branch President approached National Headquarters, and we were delighted to hear that HRH Princess Diana had agreed to come in her capacity as Patron of Red Cross Youth. The date was fixed for April 28th, 1992.

Then the planning began. The presentation line and the youth members’ activities in first aid, home nursing and child care would take place in the walled garden outside the centre room. Inside would be displays of casualty simulation and hand care, and a small group of children would say a short poem about the Red Cross. Then the Princess would sign her photograph and unveil the plaque there. The plan and timetable were drawn up and approved. Letters went out to the schools asking permission for the children’s absence, and invitations to guests were sent. We received permission to make a video film of the occasion, and Lester & Nix kindly hired the latest video cameras and provided two staff to record the day. The inscription was designed and approved for the plaque which was then engraved on Welsh slate by a monumental mason.

The day dawned; fortunately dry and sunny. The police made sure all was safe and secure at the hospital, even looking into drains and attics! Then the participants were let in, if they arrived at the stated time and with their invitation cards. Preparations went well and all was ready in good time when the Princess arrived to visit the hospital wards first and then the Red Cross Centre. All agreed that she was very interested in everything on display, and she spent a lot of time talking with the youth groups and other members, and was a delightful person to meet. All too soon it was time for her to leave, but not before she had chatted to people in the crowd out on Derby Road. The rest of us went to The Orangery for speeches, cutting of the celebration cakes and tea.

The Centre thrived and developed over the following years. However, nothing lasts. The British Red Cross reorganised itself again, deciding centres were no longer needed, and at the end of 2009, Belper closed down.

HRH with Mrs M. Henry (County President) and Mrs P. Marjoram (Centre Organiser)

By Pat Marjoram

Editor’s note: Sadly this is the final ‘Local History’ article from Pat but I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge ‘Thank you’, on behalf of Team ATL and all our readers, for all the wonderful contributions over the years!

Upbeat

We are now almost two months into Operation Derbyshire – an initiative to share with our communities the excellent work that is going on to tackle certain crime types in the county and support victims.

At the end of last year, Derbyshire welcomed a new Chief Constable, Rachel Swann, and she and Police and Crime Commissioner Hardyal Dhindsa have worked together to set these crime types as their priorities.

We recognise that many crimes have a devastating effect on the victim and those close to them. There are so many crimes that have an impact, but that may not always be in the spotlight – these will be the focus for this operation.

The operation will highlight what we are doing to reduce speeding, tackle wildlife, heritage and rural crime, and target community crimes like anti-social behaviour.

Operation Derbyshire will also highlight the work that we and our partners do to support victims and bring offenders to justice. Chief Constable Swann said: “Focusing on delivering a high-quality service to the public is at the core of everything we do at Derbyshire Constabulary.

“We do this by fighting crime, proactively bringing offenders to justice and protecting the most vulnerable from harm.”

Mr Dhindsa said: “We really want our communities to know that we focus on long-term problem solving, engaging, listening and responding. We then need to ensure that we let the public know what we’ve done – this is a really important part.”

You can find out more about the operation and what is happening in your area by signing up to our messaging service, Derbyshire Alert. The system allows us to send you local information about crimes and initiatives in your community. You can also use the system to contact us, feeding back on any concerns you have or telling us what you think our priorities should be. You can sign up for alerts by visiting www.derbyshirealert.co.uk.

You can also follow your local policing team on social media. Visit www.derbyshire.police.uk/FollowYourSNT to find out more.

Useful Numbers

Doctors & Hospitals, Emergencies

Appletree Medical Practice Arthur Medical Centre 01332 842288 01332 880249

Amber Pharmacy Crimestoppers

01332 985950 0800 555111 Drug Helpline (24 hour) 0800 776600 London Road Community Hospital 01332 265500 NHS 111 Out of Hours (24 hour helpline) 111 Police (non emergency) 101 Ripley Hospital 01773 743456 Ripley Medical Centre 01773 303591 Riversdale Surgery 01773 822386 Royal Derby Hospital 01332 340131 RSPCA Emergency 0300 1234999 Samaritans (24 hour) 116123 Severn Trent Water 0800 7834444 Social Care Services - Call Derbyshire 01629 533190 Water Floodline 08459 881188 Whitemoor Medical Centre 01773 880099

Post Offices

Belper (Strutt Street) 01773 820108 Duffield 01332 840105 Holbrook 01332 882537 Kilburn 01332 880444 Little Eaton 01332 832780 Sawmills 01773 852060 Smalley 01332 882222 Stanley 0345 7223344 Stanley Common 0345 6112970

Travel

Birmingham Airport 0871 222 0072 East Midlands Airport 0800 083 8759 East Midlands Trains 03457 125678 Manchester Airport Flight Info 090 10 10 1000* National Rail Enquiries 08457 484950 Roads - to report a fault 01629 580000 Traveline – public transport info 0871 2002233 * Premium rate

Bereavement Matters

It seems like ages since we were able to talk about some good news, so now that we have some, we’re going to make the most of it!

And so, our congratulations go to my fellow funeral director at Gillotts in Heanor, Helen Ellis, who celebrates her 25th work anniversary this year.

A quarter century of working at the same firm is quite something in this day and age, but there is more to it for Helen, who, unbeknownst to her at the time, was a trail-blazer for women in the funeral industry when she started.

Then, as when I started out, the funeral industry was dominated by men of, shall we say, more mature years, so much so that when I conducted my first funeral at the age of 25, I was asked if I wasn’t too young to do the job.

I wasn’t, and while Helen will no doubt have raised a few eyebrows because she wore a skirt rather than a pair of suit trousers, she has gone on to change the way we go about our business and the way we see ourselves. Ask any reputable funeral director now and they will describe the industry as a caring profession which works to organise farewells in a way that is fitting, unique and, above all, reflective of the love that person enjoyed on earth.

Key to this is building up a rapport with their families, chiefly by showing empathy and kindness to people who are struggling to cope with the pain of grief and loss.

While I would say this was still the case back in the day, Helen’s natural affinity with people has meant that this side of our business is more developed, and that we’re more aware of how our service needs to be balanced between both the living and the deceased.

It’s been a pleasure and an honour to see this side of our work develop since Helen came to work for us and wonderful to reflect on how pioneers like Helen have paved the way for more women in our industry, to the benefit of everyone.

By Anthony Topley Funeral director, Gillotts Funeral Directors, Abbott Street, Heanor

TRUSTED CARE IN YOUR OWN HOME

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Index

Accountant: Easy Accounts Ltd Accountant: Yeomans Accountancy Ltd Aerials: Aerial Technology of Ripley 6 9 40

Airport Transfers: Derwent Cars

16 Airport Transfers: Holbrook Travel 16 Animal Welfare: The Cats Protection League 4 Architect: BDS Architecture 69 Architect: Green 2K Design 60

Bathrooms: Bathtime Heanor Bathrooms: Belper Kitchens & Bathrooms Bathrooms: Browns Builders Merchants 43 36 44

Bathrooms: Knight Interiors Bedrooms: Contour Furnishings Bedrooms: Kitchen & Bedroom Warehouse Bedrooms: Oatenvale 38 60 66 42

Blinds & Curtains: Elaine’s

51 Blinds, Curtains & Shutters: Hillarys 47 Builder’s Merchant/Landscaping Products: Browns 44 Building Work: 3Sixty Property Solutions 40 Building Work: Bennett Construction 51 Building Work: JJN Building Services 67 Building Work: Simon Owen Response 51 Building Work: TDB Builders 46

Car Body Repairs & Servicing: B A Kelf Car Body Repairs: ChipsAway

24 22 Car Body Repairs: Martin Buxton 24 Car Servicing, Repairs, MOTs: 20Ten Garage Services 21 Car Servicing, Repairs, MOTs: EDM 25 Car Servicing, Repairs, MOTs: Little Eaton Garage 22 Caravan Servicing: EDM 25 Carer Services: Right at Home 84 Carpet Cleaning: Roy Milner 53 Carpets & Flooring: Ian Wilson 68 Carpets & Flooring: Spondon Carpets 41 Carpets & Flooring: T Nutt & Sons 7 Cleaning/Sanitising Service: Molly Maid 12 Cleaning/Sanitising Service:The Cleaning Lady 12 Cleaning/Sanitising Service: Time For You 13 Computer Support: Eaton PCs 9 Computer Tuition: Computer Tutor for U 78 Conservatories, Windows, Doors: Abbey Glass 88

Dentist: Glendair Dental Practice

30 Dentures: Beautiful Dentures 35 Door Maintenance & Repair: Door Maintenance & Repair 58

Education: Derbyshire County Council Adult Education 76 Electrician: Andy Hill 67 Electrician: Devenport Electrical 64 Electrician: Midlec 64 Electrician: TME Electrical 55

Fence Panels & Wood: Walvins Timber Fencing: ColourFence Financial Advice: Belper IFS Florist: Fleur Florist Footcare: Amber Feet Footcare: Heel the Sole Fuel: Browns/Signal Fuels Funeral Directors: Bespoke Funeral Care Funeral Directors: Gillotts Funeral Services 49 48 10 78 28 28 44 87 85

Garage Doors: Garolla Garage Doors: Ockbrook Garage Doors Garden Living: Cabin Master Garden Services: Cartwright’s Garden Services: Jaam Properties Garden Services: Mark Hudson

42 46 3 40 65 43 Garden Services: Pennine 46 Garden & Property Services: The Garden Guy 50 Gutter Clearance: Gutter PRO 57

Hair: Zoe Mobile Hairdresser 29 Joinery: Bethell’s Joinery Joinery: R&D Joinery

Kitchens: Belper Kitchens & Bathrooms Kitchens: Dream Doors Kitchens: Holtams Kitchens: Kitchen & Bedroom Warehouse Kitchens: Oatenvale Kitchens: Sonna Kitchens 57 62

36 37 56 66 42 65

Landscaping: AH Roofing & Landscape Landscaping: Langley Landscaping: Mount Pleasant Landscaping Landscaping: Team Morley Loft Ladders: More than Loft Ladders 62 70 66 58 67

Massage: Equilibrium

Osteopath: Osteopathy Derby Oven Cleaning: Spring Fresh 30

27 12

Painter & Decorator: Duffield Decorators Ltd 43 Painter & Decorator: John the Painter 58 Painter & Decorator: M Bates 68 Painter & Decorator: Roy Milner 37 Personal Trainer: Alex Robinson 31 Pest Control: MW Pest Control 65 Pet Care Services: The Pet Servant 4 Plastering: Claxton Plastering 46 Plastering: JM Plastering & Property Maintenance 50 Plumbing & Heating: ADS 63 Plumbing & Heating: Blacks 64 Plumbing & Heating: LEEVA Plumbing & Heating 39 Plumbing & Heating: Martyn Young Heating & Plumbing 59 Plumbing & Heating: MDA 46 Plumbing & Heating: R Fearn 40 Plumbing & Heating: Scott 55 Plumbing & Heating: Woodward 38 Property Maintenance: 3Sixty Property Solutions 40 Property Maintenance: David Grey 50 Property Maintenance: JM Plastering & Property Maintenance 50 Property Maintenance: Kev Property Services 57 Property Maintenance: Simon Owen Response 51

Residential Care Home: Coxbench Hall 81 Restaurant/Function Rooms/Hotel: Morley Hayes 19 Roofing & Landscaping: AH Roofing & Landscape 62 Roofing: County & McAndrews 54 Roofing: Harris Roofing Services 50 Roofing: Ripley Rubber Roofing 51

Schoolwear: Loop Schoolwear Security: Prestige Solicitors: Shacklocks Solicitors: Smith Partnership 1 58 8 11

Taxi: Holbrook Travel Tree Care: Angus Tree Care Tree Care: ArborEx Tree Care: Cartwright’s Tree Care: Charnwood Tree Services Tree Care: Clip ‘Em & Fell ‘Em Tree Care: The Garden Guy Tree Care: Mark Hudson Tree Care: Pennine Tyres & Exhausts: ETS

Used Cars: Net Cars Ilkeston 16 57 64 40 55 65 50 43 46 2

23

Vet: John Rosie Vet Care at Home 4

Web Design: www.yourbusinessmarketer.co.uk 9 Weight Management: 24th Floor Health & Fitness 27 Window Cleaning: Deluxe Window Cleaning 46 Windows, Doors & Conservatories: Trade Windows 61 Work from Home: Matt Elliott 15 Workwear: Loop Workwear 1