There and Back

T he  Captain Tom image that appeared on the wall in Angel Street to honour the memory this great man Captain Sir Thomas Moore (30 April 1920 – 2 February 2021), more popularly known as Captain Tom, was a British Army officer who raised money for charity in the run-up to his 100th birthday during the COVID-19 pandemic. He served in India and the Burma campaign during the Second World War, and later became an instructor in armoured warfare. After the war, he worked as managing director of a concrete company and was an avid motorcycle racer. On 6 April 2020, at the age of 99, Moore began to walk one hundred lengths of his garden in aid of NHS Charities Together, with the goal of raising £1,000 by his 100th birthday. In the 24-day course of his fundraising, he made many media appearances and became a popular household name in the UK, earning a number of accolades and attracting over 1.5 million individual donations. In recognition of his efforts, he received the BBC Sports Personality...

George Street is a lovely reasonably quiet road with lots of old properties in it. So, looking at some listed properties here, I am starting with number 3-5 which was probable a public house in times past. It`s a C15-C16 2 storey timber framed and plastered building. The upper storey projects at the front with massive close-set joists. Although it is now part of Partridges store, it was the Moulders Arms . Apparently, it was given its name referring to the iron foundry once located behind the building. Crossing Magdalene Street, you arrive in George Street proper, I like to think.  This property is no.15 and is a C17 property which has been altered, fittingly called Tudor Gables .  Next door to Tudor Gables is this lovely building called The Old House which was previously listed as no19 and 20. It is probably C17, and is a two storey timber-framed and plastered structure with a cross wing at the east end with the upper storey projecting on curved brackets. The main block has...

This Beast from the East – a phrase recently used to describe wintry conditions in the UK caused by easterly winds from the near continent – is a result of cold air from Scandinavia and Russia combined with an active storm front (named Storm Darcy by the Dutch meteorological office). The best remembered Beast from the East hit Britain at the end of February 2018, bringing with it 10 days of heavy snow. This one though does not compare with the 2018 one in severity or length it persisted. However, a winter walk was require to capture the occasion. View from the front door in the morning Swans and Canada Geese awaiting breakfast Drifts on the roadside as we went for our walk More piles of snow on the bank plus a close up of the wonderful texture Clumps of snow on the hedges and fences The approach to Overbury Hall Icicles abound along the roof of this cottage Izobelle making a "Snow angel" Later, sitting in the snow seats for a warm cuppa! What about this for a giant icicle on ...

Having been photographing some of the many Listed buildings in Hadleigh, I was surprised at the number of inns, taverns, pubs etc which have been in the town over the years. Then I came across a site called `The Lost Pubs of Hadleigh` and was taken by the idea of photographing all that I could find; bearing in mind that some have been demolished and some are noted, but there is no certainty as to where they actually were situated. There are 21 in total that are listed here, but I understand that there are others of more uncertain nature which may have been inns or pubs. However, here is my effort, starting with what to me was a big surprise! - the ex Council Offices. The Anchor - Bridge Street This pub / beer house managed to go through a few names in its time:  Between 1661 & 1835 it was called the Standard** Between 1837 & 1871 it was called the Barley Mow** Between 1871 & 1927 it was called the Anchor** One landlady was named as Elisabeth Scrivener, and is recorded a...

The houses in Benton Street vary considerably in size, from the properties listed first in this post, (number 37 to 41) to the grand ones like the Old Manse further down the road and also Benton End House. Still a beautiful street, despite the modern curse of traffic which is reaching a point where something will need to be done to alleviate the problem. There are a few closed pubs in the street, the ones not shown here are the Black Swan at number 4 and the Falcon at number 63, as neither are listed buildings.  So, onto a few of the listed buildings. Numbers 37 to 41, are probably of C17 origin, classed as a `range of tenements` over two storeys with an attic. It`s the usual timber-framed and plastered building, and is listed as having a `Central ground floor entry with double doors` but now has more doors added, it appears. Probably when the house was divided up into the three properties which it now appears to be. The Old Manse at number 90 Benton Street is an C18 building over ...