"MIKE's MUSES...

A little of this, laced with a little of that, from around and about..."

The items that follow in this collection of bits and pieces are not necessarily of local origin..

Please feel free to respond to any points which may be raised in this column.

Babies stressed out by buggies! 

I was amused to read a recent press report that scientists have just discovered babies are stressed out by their rides in buggies.

Any one who watched the classic Dave Allen TV programmes will undoubtedly recall his observations on the subject.

Picture mum pushing the buggy, baby facing forward.

Crossing the road, baby goes first, pushed out, face to face with the bumpers of roaring monsters, tiny nose level with choking exhaust fumes, and deafened by horns and thumping door mounted stereos….. little wonder the poor souls are gnashing any teeth they might have !

Strange it should take the scientific community so long to reach the same conclusion.

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Local History - puzzle

The location featured in the last edition was the remains of the top incline winding house of the quarry above Pentre.

From certain angles it is still possible to see parts of the inclines course.

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An Island Parish

Continuing the tour round some of the uninhabited islands, my next port of call will be Nornour.

This tiny island was once inhabited, as the picture of house foundations show.

It is thought that the island was last inhabited in the 4^th century, when rising sea levels are believed to have flooded the more low-lying areas where food could be grown and springs found.

Some early jewellery found there is on display in the museum on the main island of  St.Marys.

At low tide you can walk to the adjoining  small island, Ganilly, where there are a couple of ancient burial mounds.

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Hi-de-Hi!

I see that the economic downturn is predicted to lead to an increase in holidays being taken at home in old style holiday camps.

Are there any left today?

The ones I remember fondly were not the up-market Butlins and Pontins, but those more primitive places like the old Beach Holiday Camp, at Dymchurch, Ken.

The highlight of the week here for youngsters was a trip on the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway which made a special stop by a field behind the camp to pick up campers.

Those were the days!

Yours truly enjoying a trike ride (hired by the hour) around the camp.

Note the state of the art chalets.

I believe there was a toilet block somewhere!

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Who do you think you are ? (2)

…..Billy Bunter or Sexton Blake!

The saga continues………

Delving deeper and deeper into my tree, I have now discovered that one of the sons of a sister of my paternal great grandfather was at times editor of “The Magnet”, “Union Jack” and “Detective Weekly”.

Anyone of more than a certain age will have heard of the “Magnet”, possibly one of the most famous of all early comics.

The rather rotund Billy Bunter, of Greyfriars School, being without doubt its most famous character.

The obsessive preoccupation with “political correctness” today would not allow the publication of such harmless tales, more’s the pity.

Several TV series were made with Gerald Campion playing the role of Bunter.

Like so many early black and white TV shows, most of the episodes have been “lost”.

How I wish they would all turn up and be given an airing. Truly a taste of life without the nonsense of political correctness! 

An illustration from the “Magnet”  -  The “Fat-owl of the Remove” is in trouble with someone as usual!

And now, to coin a phrase. "I’ll revolve on my axis and thunder down the passage!”

© Written for www.Treorchy.net by Mike Ash, Pentre.  April 2009. 

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