The Redbridge Rhymesters

The Redbridge Rhymesters

It's happened again - all my good intentions to keep writing a regular (well, at least once a week) post for this blog has fallen by the wayside, but on the occasion, I have a good reason for the delay.

For the past 17 years, I have run a poetry group called The Redbridge Rhymesters; we meet quarterly at the Allan Burgess Centre in Wanstead, which is part of Age UK Redbridge, and is open for people aged 55+. Apart from an excellent lunch provided every weekday, there are various activities on offer, from Bridge and Art clubs, to Yoga and helpful advice sessions, and many other interesting avenues to explore. 

Many years ago, I recorded one of my poems, "The Last of the Old Victorians," for Age UK England; it was about my Grandma, Alice Woods, and a lady who ran the website asked me if she could publish my poem there as well. 

I was delighted to agree, and after it was up and running, I then got a call from AgeUK Redbridge, asking if I'd be interested to hold a poetry session at the Allan Burgess Centre. Of course I said "Yes!" and the meeting went so well, I was asked if I could make it a regular feature. 

I was so thrilled to be asked, and to be part of a great surge to interest people in poetry, and thus The Redbridge Rhymesters poetry group was born. 

At the time, because we were also looking after Mum, I couldn't do more than quarterly meetings, but from its early beginnings, the group grew, with many faithful poetry lovers coming along to each session. 

There was no pressure for people to write their own poems for the meeting, but if anyone had a poem they had written, but was too shy to read it themselves, I was always happy to perform it for them. They could bring along a favourite poem, or else just sit with us and enjoy the morning. It was a case of "great oaks from little acorns grow," and soon we had the added pleasure of being joined on some occasions by children from the near-by Snaresbrook Junior School, which also had various fund-raising schemes on the go to benefit AgeUK; there was double pleasure in it for everyone.

Then  came the great interruption of the pandemic - pre-virus, the last meeting was held in October, 2019, with the theme of Hallowe'en: 

but after that last great Hurrah, everything stopped with lockdown, and we didn't get going again until January, 2022.

During the two and a half years when we couldn't meet, some of our lovely members had gone on to do other things; some had developed medical and mobility problems and, inevitably, sadly some people had died. It felt like we were starting from scratch. 

Unfortunately, the January day chosen was freezing cold, with icy pavements and a bitter wind blowing. With folk still hesitant about getting out and about again, and nervous about slipping on the way to the Allan Burgess Centre, we only had a handful of poets join us; but at least we were on our way again.

It has been a slow start, but gradually people are getting to know we are back! and it's encouraging to see numbers building up again. The imagination and inspiration are still there, and everyone is encouraged to write and perform, and just enjoy what we're doing. 

And the best part? At our last meeting on 21 March this year, we were joined again by the children from Snaresbrook Primary School, and it was wonderful to hear them perform the poems they had written. Their teachers are terrific, encouraging everyone to love poetry, and the children had also been taught how to present their work: to speak up, speak clearly, and not rush their recitation, so that the entire audience could hear every word properly. The older poets also had much to contribute, with some very tender and poignant pieces: on this showing, the future of poetry is safe and well!

The Redbridge Rhymesters - 21 March 2023

The Cage

 The Cage

On the occasions when we visited back in the 1980s, there was a wonderful shop in the High Street in Dunster, called The Cage, which sold imaginative gifts and ornaments, including various David Winter Cottages. 

David Winter was born in Catterick, Yorkshire, in 1958, and was inspired by his mother, the sculptress Faith Winter. David Winter's creations are wonderfully detailed, and his cottages are loved and appreciated by many collectors from all over the world. Each one is different: perhaps a mill, or a house set in a garden, with maybe a cat at the front door, or beautiful flowers leading up the garden path. We had never seen anything like them before! and each time we were in Dunster, we bought another David Winter cottage, enjoying having them all on display: each one delightful, with always something new to discover whenever we looked at them.

The Cage also sold blown glass models of ships, and on one trip we chose a sailing ship, displayed in a transparent plastic box. After all these years, and many moves, it is (so far!) still in one piece, and still sailing in its original box - it needs a good dusting, now!

Forty years on, during this visit to Dunster, we asked about The Cage: it was well-remembered, but sadly the shop is no longer part of the High Street. The lady we spoke to said the owner had retired many years ago, and we think it is possible he may have died. Whatever has happened, the memory of The Cage - and the owner - remains alive and well in our memory! and we have the sailing ship and David Winter Cottages to enjoy in our present, and in the future. 

After we got home, I contacted a really helpful lady who helps to run an art gallery in Dunster, and she said she would make enquiries for us, and ask older residents if they remembered The Cage, and its owner. 

True to her word, she has made many investigations on our behalf, and recently got back in touch with me. The consensus of opinion is that the owner of The Cage retired more that 20 years ago, and had plans to move abroad - possibly to Spain; at any rate, he - and the delightful shop - is no longer in Dunster.

I am so grateful for all her efforts - even though it means The Cage is now truly gone from Dunster, at least we have some idea of what happened. Whether they stayed in England, or went out abroad to warmer climes, we hope everyone connected with it has enjoyed - or is still enjoying! - a happy retirement.

When we are back at the West Somerset Railway (we have plans for another book signing in the summer holidays!) we'll go back to Dunster, and visit the art gallery, and hope to meet the very helpful lady. We also have plans for another delicious cream tea at Lock's Victorian Tea Rooms!

 

Lock's Victorian Tea Rooms and Gardens

Lock's Victorian Tea Room and Gardens

Lock's Victorian Tea Room and Gardens in Dunster take a little bit of finding! We walked up and down the High Street, and still couldn't see how ti access them, so we went into another shop, and asked for more directions.

"Ah!" we were told, "No, they are not immediately visible. Walk a few yards further down the street, and you will see a little alley - you have to go down there, to the end, and you'll find a little courtyard, and the Tea Rooms!"

So we followed this advice, turned right down the alley and a few seconds later, found ourselves by Lock's Tea Rooms - everything opens out, and the Tea Room is housed in the old Victorian School Room, with gardens on the other side of the building.

We decided to eat indoors, in the school room, and ordered our cream tea - with scones and delicious, home-made strawberry jam.

 

 

It is a wonderful venue; whilst we indulged our passion for cream teas, we also imagined all the children in Victorian times, sitting at their desks in this small room, with a stern schoolmistress standing at the front, expecting everyone to be obedient and paying attention whilst being taught the 3 Rs.

Behind us was the old school bell and, in my imagination, I could still hear it being rung, summoning the children to classes, and again at going home time, to signal the end of the school day. What a superb atmosphere in which to enjoy a cream tea; although I suspect food in the days of the children being taught here was not so pleasant or plentiful. 

For us, it is now certainly a place to keep marked in the diary as somewhere we will return to, on a future visit to Dunster.

 

Dunster

Dunster

During our long weekend visit to the West Somerset Railway in October, Wendy and I had day tickets to travel the length of the railway, from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard and back, and we were delighted to take the opportunity on the Saturday, to make that round trip.

The West Somerset Railway is the longest preserved railway in England - 20 miles, with 10 stations between Minehead at the seaside, and Bishops Lydeard, inland at the Taunton end of the line, but one of the stations Wendy and I were keen to revisit was Dunster, two stops down from Minehead, so on the Sunday, we took the car and drove to the village.

There's a car park just below the Dunster Steep - we found a good spot, paid for the parking and set off to walk into the village - which is when we discovered why the Dunster Steep got its name: it's a short, but demanding walk up the hill into Dunster itself. Later,  I was assured that it is still not as bad a climb as trying to ascend on foot, the hill leading up to the castle; to get to the top, you are walking with your back almost horizontal to the ground. When we lived in Bath, friends from Kalamunda in Western Australia came over to stay with us for a few days, and we had an enjoyable day trip to Dunster. We drove there up to the castle, and we could park there; I would certainly remember a demanding hike! 

Dunster Castle dominates the area, and can be seen for miles - especially imposing when viewed from the train. Dunster Station is about two miles from the village, so we were glad we had decided to take the car.   

The family most prominent in the area were the Lutrells; wherever you look, there are numerous references to them, including the Hotel:

 

The front of the Luttrell Arms Hotel, Dunster

The Yarn Market

Last week, I tried ringing the Dunster Tourist Bureau for more information about the Yarn Market, but it is closed during the winter, and doesn't open until April! So I looked it up on Google. It came up with the following historical information - some of the dates I had remembered, but as I am also going back 40-odd years, I like to be as accurate as possible! 

 

I knew the Yarn Market itself dates back to the 17th Century, but I didn't know that by the 13th Century, Dunster had become a centre for woollen and clothing production. The market was in operation by at least 1222, and a particular kind of broadcloth became known as "Dunster."

During the Civil War (1642 - 1651), the Yarn Market was damaged; in 1647, it was restored to its present condition by Francis Luttrell, whose family name is still prominent in Dunster.

The Doll Collection Museum

Another memory for Wendy and me on this occasion, was the Doll Collection Museum; still fascinating, with toys and dolls exhibited from all over the world, and we spent a happy hour looking at the items on display, and remembering times past. 

After all this history, we started to feel a bit peckish, and asked the curator for advice about a place to enjoy a cream tea. 

Her suggestion was immediate: Locks Victorian Tea Room would be the ideal venue for us! So we set off along the High Street, to find it.

 

Christmas 2022

Christmas 2022 

How swiftly days pass - all the excitement and preparation for Christmas, presents to wrap and send and, at this time of year, I am always reminded of Mum, as she used to help me by holding the wrapping paper in place, whilst I wielded the Sellotape. She would look up at me and grin, and say, "Now, don't stick my finger to the parcel!"  At least this year, I was "well ahead of the game," as they say, along with Christmas cards to friends and loved ones in England and overseas: due to action by the Royal Mail, I really had to send everything off as early as I could, and I got most of our mail - cards, parcels and letters - away in November. From everyone we have heard from so far, everything arrived in good time!

Our Christmas Day was a very happy and peaceful time, made extra special by having the chance to speak to Al and Dani on Face Time. It's a wonderful thing, to be able not just to hear, but also to see our loved ones at special times. Apart from me, everyone has Apple phones, so the connection on Christmas Day was easy. On the Samsung phone Wendy gave me, I can do WhatsApp and have messages and phone conversations, but that's about it. I can't take photos or upload them, and it's clear I have still so much to learn!

Al and Dani rang us just as I had been carving the turkey and dishing up the dinner, and they asked Wendy to take a photo of her plate, and send it to them, so here it is:

We had roast turkey (courtesy of Wendy, it was a fresh bird from Waitrose), roast caramelised potatoes, parsnips, carrots, swede, peas, Brussels sprouts and Yorkshire puddings, with a slice of Tunis Cake and chocolate Yule Log to follow.

Apparently, it is quite the thing nowadays for people having a meal in a restaurant to photograph their lunch/dinner/tea and upload the picture so that their friends can see what they are having - very strange! 

Anyway, if nothing else, it proves I cooked the "full monty" meal. 

Afterwards, we had a wonderful time, opening all the beautiful presents we had been given; everyone is so very kind and thoughtful, and we loved and appreciated every gift very much. 

Using the magic of the time-delay switch on the camera, we also took a photo of all three of us in front of the Christmas Tree:

Another photograph for the Memory Bank!

We might have been only few in number, but what a happy little band we were. We listened to some carols, and watched the King's speech on t.v. Everything had gone beautifully, and we have wonderful memories of a very happy 

Christmas Day.

London Snow

London Snow

"When men were all asleep the snow came flying  In large white flakes falling on the city brown

Stealthily and perpetually settling and loosely lying, Hushing the latest traffic of the drowsy town..."

These are the opening lines from one of my favourite poems, "London Snow," by Robert Bridges. I was first introduced to it by my speech and drama teacher, whilst I was living in Durban, and I was instantly captivated by its imagery and the way Bridges illustrates the beauty and stillness after a fall of snow. 

However, after my return to the U.K. in 1970, I have since learned there is another side to snow; beauty there is, certainly, but also a savagery and harshness and, with today's constant flow of traffic, a danger that is ever present when roads turn icy and people are out and about in their cars, and lorries are going about their business, transporting loads from depots to delivery sites, not to mention buses and cyclists and motor bikers. 

Last weekend saw us spend a couple of nights away in Colchester, attending a dance practice with Starlight Dancing on the Friday, and the Christmas Ball on the Saturday night. The dancing is held in the Marks Tey village hall, which is 50 miles away from home, so we decided that, rather than attempt to travel back each evening, we would make a pre-Christmas break of it, and book two nights at the Holiday Inn in Colchester. 

As the weather got even colder, with swathes of icy blasts dragged in from the arctic, it was obvious it was a very good decision! We had a very short drive from the hotel to the venue, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves; we had good company - sitting at our table were two couples we first met earlier this year, at the dancing holiday in Torquay - and Bob also won a spot prize in one of the quickstep dances, which was a lovely surprise!

Sunday morning dawned bright and very cold, but no matter; we had a good breakfast, packed our bags and our dancing shoes, and set off for home at about 1.00 p.m. 

As we drove, the weather started to show signs of change; there was fog, then freezing fog, and it was terribly cold. We were glad to get in, get the central heating thermostat raised up to a higher temperature, and generally snuggle in for the night.

And during the night, the snow arrived. Two and a half inches - 5 centimeters - of it, covering our garden.

It looked beautiful, and indeed, the snow hushed sound; even the magpies stayed in their nests and did not venture out to steal any of the food we put out to feed the stray cats we keep fed, especially during these harsh times. 

We also had a dancing lesson booked for the morning, but before we left, our lovely teacher rang us to say, she was going to cancel the session; the roads leading to the dance hall are not main roads, and therefore not all are gritted, and they can be very tricky to negotiate, so we were very grateful for her thoughtfulness. 

Then the reports started coming through on the television news, about problems on the roads - even the A roads, like the A12, were experiencing difficulties, and there were accidents on the M25, with terrible delays for everyone attempting to drive somewhere. 

How glad we were we did not have to go anywhere! and over the past few days, our temperatures have been recorded as low as minus 5 degrees. Bob has braved going to the shops for groceries, but we do not travel far. Even during the day, the thermometer struggles to get above freezing. 

So, yes, this is indeed London Snow. Beautiful and hushed, but also treacherous and slippery.
It is now starting to thaw a little, when the sun comes out and shines on it to melt the top layer, but then of course it freezes again overnight, and the ice crystals glitter in the next morning's sunshine.

We are promised an improvement: warmer weather at the weekend, with rain, and then perhaps we shall have plus 9 (!) degrees, instead of minus figures, to contend with.

As someone who grew up in East Africa, I feel the cold terribly, but with this severe weather, I have not been alone in finding it difficult to cope. We have not even had the shortest day yet, but once that passes, and - however imperceptibly - the days begin to lengthen, surely we can start to look forward to spring!

 

 

Book Signing At The West Somerset Railway

Book Signing At The West Somerset Railway

We were invited to return to the West Somerset Railway, so that Bob could have a couple of days at the shop in Minehead, signing copies of his book, "Isabel Finds A Home," and we were really eager to get back to the Railway. The last time we were there was four (four!) years ago, and then of course the pandemic hit, everything was closed, and we couldn't go anywhere. 

It was so good to be back! Wendy drove us to Minehead, and we stayed at the Premier Inn, a short drive from the station, so it was also a mini-break for us all.

Everyone at the Railway was so hospitable, and we really enjoyed it - there were lots of passengers, because it was the last days of normal running for this season. 

 

Bob said, "It was wonderful to be back and meet a few old friends from my days as a Fireman on the Railway. It was a chance to give something back after many years of happy footplate work, and all the staff in the shop at Minehead made us very welcome."

 

  

Wendy and I took the opportunity on the Saturday to chuff up and down the line to Bishops Lydeard and back, all with the whiff of steam and everyone so happy to be on board. I was also asked to make a couple of station announcements: "The train now standing at Platform 1 is the 16.30 steam service calling at all stations to Bishops Lydeard...!"  

 

They would also like me to do that again! and we have been asked if we can make another visit in the summer, when it will be even busier. That’s another trip to look forward to!