Picture Page News 4
6 May 2008
As you all know we are very interested in kids and what they get up to on Doverforum, and here we have more pictures of mini superstar Oliver Whatson who was featured with us earlier in the year, very soon after he was born.That feature, pictures and comments, is currently on page 3 of the Features&Comments section so readers might like to amble back there for another look. These current pictures were sent in by our regular contributor Jacqui who is the very proud Gran, and who can blame her for being so proud. Oliver is a grand lad and coming along very nicely.His parents you will remember are Tall Paul, a very successful local sportsman/weightlifter, and of course his mum Jen.
Jacqui says:I've enclosed a couple of photos of Oliver, he's 5 months old now and doing really well. He laughs at everything, shouts at everyone, and loves plums and parsnips! He's a real cutie and I love him to bits. My other daughter in law is having a baby girl in about 3 weeks time so my camera will be busy! She's going to be called Freya and I can't wait. I will then have 5 grandchildren - I feel so old!!! The older three call me Nutty Nanny - I really don't know why lol !! Many thanks goes to Jacqui for the lovely pix.
DOVER BEACH(saturday May10)
All are making ready for another exciting and hot day on the beach. Long may this glorious weather continue. As long as it does the seafront is really the place to be, with its endless blue skies and gentle surf, what can be better. In the midst of the little nest of summer sailboats, the ever so blue Doverforum.com one can be seen. As I write it is now skipping jauntily across the harbour as are all the others, with lots of kids having a fine old time at the assorted helms.
Hopefully by now, this time in the season, the cafeterias will be open so that they can fulfill the nourishment needs of the beachgoers. One hopes a coke or an ice cream will be readily on tap, as there were some disgruntlements expressed earlier that nothing at all was available.
While in picture puzzle mode, thought I might try this new picture on the left on you all. Where was this one taken??
Okay its a hard one, and may even baffle our Scotchie, and yes its like a thousand other yellow fields save for one thing, the unusual concrete milestone/marker in the foreground. Does anyone at all know where this is? I know this one of course as I took the picture.
What I dont know is what that very unusual marker post is about. It looks nautical yet is so far inland.This caused a certain amount of bewilderment in the brainbox department of the bamboozled picture taker!(easily achieved alas!) So that's Townwall St in the right hand picture below. Well I never!! Thanks guys for the contributions.
The pictures above are part of a new and interesting exhibition at Dover Museum, but I cant quite make out where they are. As I'm not from Dover perhaps someone can fill me in??...leave you message below in the COMMENTS. It's open to everyone. No membership required.
But back to the Exhibition. I am sure many will want to attend and see more of these delightful pictures of old Dover. So please see the following Press Release....
DOVER IN THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES –
NEW EXHIBITION AT DOVER MUSEUM
People and places of Dover’s past, from images of everyday community life, to pictures of war damage and new building in the town, can be seen in a special new stairwell exhibition at Dover Museum. The exhibition features some of the reserve collection of photographs of the town in the Fifties and Sixties and runs until 20 August.
The 1950s and 1960s were important times for Dover. German bombs and shells had destroyed or damaged two thirds of the old town by 1945. The Council began to clear damaged buildings, and new housing estates and ‘pre-fab’ buildings were built on the outskirts of town. New projects were begun in the Fifties, including the Gateway Flats on the seafront, with new public gardens, and the Dover Stage Hotel. The Sixties saw work begin on buildings such at Burlington House and Centurion House.
Cllr Mrs Sue Nicholas, DDC Cabinet Member for Community, said: “This new exhibition is a fascinating insight into the history of Dover, its people and its places.”
- ends -
Jeane, as many of you will know, was for a long time our resident Psychic. She carried out many ghostly and spiritual investigations in and around Dover, with the odd stop at an occasional hostelry for spirits of another dimension. Her stories were fun. She was heavily featured, at one time, in the pages of the DOVER MERCURY, as they readily covered her exploits. Then numerous national magazines followed on from there. Jeane's adventures and stories were many and ever more fascinating. Then in the midst of it all the simple story of the wounded blackbird.
I'll let Jeane take up the story at this point....
JEANE says..Last time we visited Dover we stopped off at Whitfield to see the church Arthur Beresford Pite (an architect who had connections with Dover whom I have done much research on) was married. I’d been there once before but alas we couldn’t find it without the address which I didn’t have with me. However what I did find was a badly injured blackbird who we drove 80 miles back to Essex with. Strangely he spent most of the journey sitting on my finger! I christened him (black) Magic. I’m pleased to say he made a great recovery and was able to be released again a week later. A writer for It’s Fate magazine loved the story so they interviewed me and it’s now out in a double page spread in the June issue of the magazine.
As you all know we are very interested in kids and what they get up to on Doverforum, and here we have more pictures of mini superstar Oliver Whatson who was featured with us earlier in the year, very soon after he was born.That feature, pictures and comments, is currently on page 3 of the Features&Comments section so readers might like to amble back there for another look. These current pictures were sent in by our regular contributor Jacqui who is the very proud Gran, and who can blame her for being so proud. Oliver is a grand lad and coming along very nicely.His parents you will remember are Tall Paul, a very successful local sportsman/weightlifter, and of course his mum Jen.
Jacqui says:I've enclosed a couple of photos of Oliver, he's 5 months old now and doing really well. He laughs at everything, shouts at everyone, and loves plums and parsnips! He's a real cutie and I love him to bits. My other daughter in law is having a baby girl in about 3 weeks time so my camera will be busy! She's going to be called Freya and I can't wait. I will then have 5 grandchildren - I feel so old!!! The older three call me Nutty Nanny - I really don't know why lol !! Many thanks goes to Jacqui for the lovely pix.
DOVER BEACH(saturday May10) All are making ready for another exciting and hot day on the beach. Long may this glorious weather continue. As long as it does the seafront is really the place to be, with its endless blue skies and gentle surf, what can be better. In the midst of the little nest of summer sailboats, the ever so blue Doverforum.com one can be seen. As I write it is now skipping jauntily across the harbour as are all the others, with lots of kids having a fine old time at the assorted helms.
Hopefully by now, this time in the season, the cafeterias will be open so that they can fulfill the nourishment needs of the beachgoers. One hopes a coke or an ice cream will be readily on tap, as there were some disgruntlements expressed earlier that nothing at all was available.
Where were these taken? Do you know?
Read the interesting comments below.While in picture puzzle mode, thought I might try this new picture on the left on you all. Where was this one taken??Okay its a hard one, and may even baffle our Scotchie, and yes its like a thousand other yellow fields save for one thing, the unusual concrete milestone/marker in the foreground. Does anyone at all know where this is? I know this one of course as I took the picture.
What I dont know is what that very unusual marker post is about. It looks nautical yet is so far inland.This caused a certain amount of bewilderment in the brainbox department of the bamboozled picture taker!(easily achieved alas!)
But back to the Exhibition. I am sure many will want to attend and see more of these delightful pictures of old Dover. So please see the following Press Release....
DOVER IN THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES –
NEW EXHIBITION AT DOVER MUSEUM
People and places of Dover’s past, from images of everyday community life, to pictures of war damage and new building in the town, can be seen in a special new stairwell exhibition at Dover Museum. The exhibition features some of the reserve collection of photographs of the town in the Fifties and Sixties and runs until 20 August.
The 1950s and 1960s were important times for Dover. German bombs and shells had destroyed or damaged two thirds of the old town by 1945. The Council began to clear damaged buildings, and new housing estates and ‘pre-fab’ buildings were built on the outskirts of town. New projects were begun in the Fifties, including the Gateway Flats on the seafront, with new public gardens, and the Dover Stage Hotel. The Sixties saw work begin on buildings such at Burlington House and Centurion House.
Cllr Mrs Sue Nicholas, DDC Cabinet Member for Community, said: “This new exhibition is a fascinating insight into the history of Dover, its people and its places.”
- ends -
Long time Forumite and Dover specialist Jeane Trend-Hill continues to soar the dizzy heights of the magazine world.
Jeane, as many of you will know, was for a long time our resident Psychic. She carried out many ghostly and spiritual investigations in and around Dover, with the odd stop at an occasional hostelry for spirits of another dimension. Her stories were fun. She was heavily featured, at one time, in the pages of the DOVER MERCURY, as they readily covered her exploits. Then numerous national magazines followed on from there. Jeane's adventures and stories were many and ever more fascinating. Then in the midst of it all the simple story of the wounded blackbird.
I'll let Jeane take up the story at this point....
JEANE says..Last time we visited Dover we stopped off at Whitfield to see the church Arthur Beresford Pite (an architect who had connections with Dover whom I have done much research on) was married. I’d been there once before but alas we couldn’t find it without the address which I didn’t have with me. However what I did find was a badly injured blackbird who we drove 80 miles back to Essex with. Strangely he spent most of the journey sitting on my finger! I christened him (black) Magic. I’m pleased to say he made a great recovery and was able to be released again a week later. A writer for It’s Fate magazine loved the story so they interviewed me and it’s now out in a double page spread in the June issue of the magazine.
- Thank you Paul - Magic is a star and I'd like to think the blackbird that I hear at 5am every morning is him. A little bit of Dover in Essex!
- If indeed it is Magic waking you up every morning Jeane then he may be safer in Essex than in Dover. There is a story in one of the papers this week that the famous blackbird nest at the Dover Town Council offices has been attacked by seagulls and destroyed with collateral damage. It all fell to earth in a thousand twiglets. Mayor Bob Markham is very concerned about this latest shock horror development in the very heart of Dover...
" We hope the bird continues to sing" said a worried Bob.
Shouldnt think the beleagured bird would have toooo much to sing about having lost his home and presumably his offspring all at a stroke! Still you never know..hope springs eternal. - How sad, lets hope that one finds a safe new nesting place soon and there are more baby blackbirds.
- Hi,
A touching story, my mother rescued a female of the same bird and it lived with us for 5 years in the early 1970's (like the one on John and Val's Blue Peter).
It used to love nicking cigarettes, shredding the rug ends, pulling wires out of the electric fire's element, eating best steak mince (mixed with grit), pooping EVERYWHERE! for mother was always with a bucket and I thought that the smell of disinfectant in the house was the norm.
She would sit on mothers finger and take a grape from her lips, get sloshed on vodka left in a tipped glass and slump in a death-like pose on the sunny windowsill.
We would wake to soft warbling and sudden fluent song from nowhere...
Laid an egg one day with no shell and so clear you could see the yolk through it - wierd!
It had no wish to leave (other birds outside would attack it), it even went on holiday with us to Pevensey in it's own cage, taking up the whole back seat
Enjoyed all the worms I could bring in from under stones etc which we had to cut up for it when smal eerrrchhhhh!
Thinking of worms no doubt she would nip my finger and hold on tight till I tickled her whiskers around the beak, making her sneeze.
The vet said she could live for 25 years but on Xmas Eve (to my never-ending regret) I ran, an eager kid for the phone and kicked the bird against the piano leg snapping it's neck causing instant death.
A great and amusing pet for sure but a pain to see in the dark recess of piano stool and all - shame, I still feel awful about it too.....RIP - Ahh Buddy, a touching and sad story. You were only a kid and didn't mean for it to happen and as you said it would have been instant.
I didn't realise they live for around 25 years, amazing. - Ah yes its a very good story there BuddyG, so many thanks for passing it on for us all to appreciate. Unfortunately you had a sad ending there but at least you tried eh? At least he went quick, which is not always the case in nature.
One time I had a large hawk arrive on my balcony and under one of his claws was either a small bird or a small mammal of some sort...which he preceded to tear to shreds . Not a very nice end at all, but I guess its just nature after all. - Congratulations Jeane, dizzy heights indeed, Well Done! and BuddyG What a great little story that is,shame about the ending but at least he had a good few happy years with you and your Mam.
- the picture on the top left is as you may know it as the old tsb bank before it closed down not sure on the other.
- Austin picture is where the old TSB and council office is now
- The second one looks as though it could be Worthington Street looking towards Pencester.
- The second image is Townwall/Liverpool street. The building on the right being the Britannia pub (the nearest corner was a builders office I believe) and the Hotel de France (I think!) is the white building at the back. This hotel is more or less where the underpass now it !!
- Looks like a fascinating exhibition. Can't wait to go and see it.
I'm sure it'll show just how much the town has lost under the unstoppable juggernaut (every pun intended) of unfettered commerce since that golden post-War age.
Architectural one-offs such as The Dover Stage, for example. I remember it well and it was a genuinely original building of its time and should never have been demolished (have even seen it mentioned in several modern architecture books).
And medieval gems like the Cause Is Altered pub, not forgetting the equally criminal destruction of York Street, replaced with the bypass from nowhere to nowhere. York Street was to Dover what Middle Street is to Deal - and look how lovely Deal's version is now.
I could go on, but I won't. As my dear late father used to say about our hometown, Hitler started the demolition job and the post-War powers-that-be carried on the job with a relish the Third Reich failed to match.
Plus ca change.
I look forward to visiting the exhibition with fondness and a large dollop of bitter-sweetness too.
Regards all,
Andy - It looks a bit like the field at Coldblow near Walmer ?
I assume the stone is an Admiralty boundary stone similar to the War Department ones around the Heights and the Castle ? - Well !!! struth and blow me down !!! but yes Paul you are absolutely right and spot on 100%% Jeeeeez
....well Im gobsmacked. Never thought anyone would get that and you got it in record time too. Its only up a matter of a few minutes.
Well done Paul 'Scotchie' Wells. - Well, blimey, that has surprised me to know you were out this way !!! Only ever passed this way a couple of times and never seen that stone before - will have to drive home that way tonight.
I know the land there was formerly owned by the MOD - I guess something to do with the Marines at Deal/Walmer - I assume it was a training area perhaps ? - Yes Paul it is Coldblow,just off by the Walmer to Martin Mill line,used to play football there,the ground used to be like playing on a billiard table,then when the MOD went,the area was left barren for many years,
- Yes well done John, very interesting. Am amazed you guys got it as it seemed to me to be in the middle of nowhere. I kind of blundered across it ( Coldblow) by accident last sunday after leaving the Olde Lantern Inn ( Doverforum Dick will be writing about his roast beef soon in his column!) I had never heard of Coldblow before. In the distance just to the right of the marker stone is a windmill on the horizon...hard to see in the picture but can be seen in the larger version, and of course in reality. Yes its very nice out that way at the moment with the fantastic colours.
- Well Done Scotchie and John. Impressive! You guys are great on your local knowledge. Lovely Summer photos PaulB Ah! It shure makes one feel good, the beach looks very inviting today, my girls are already down there enjoying themselves, our little doverforum.com sailboat looks lovely, the kids are enjoying it.
- Thanks for sponsoring a sail, every pound goes along way in helping the centre. All the more pleasing when you see the youngsters having a great time. As an added bonus after seeing saturdays picture and comment i used the sail on sunday for an adult beginners course.
All the best Colin - Nice pictures taken... especially like the top one and that it was a scorger today! I am amazed with the hot weather and that we are hotter than any holiday destination apparently -- it certainly felt like that.
Keep cool and safe - Oliver is a star for sure!
- Wow! 'Plums & Parsnips' it sounds like a great name for a new business venture, Oliver is looking a bonny lad, Well done Mum & Dad! You must be a very proud 'Nutty Nanny' Jacqui with another little person to follow soon.
- Oh! What a gorgeous little fella Oliver is at 5 months... Tis making me feel all maternal. You are a very lucky nana Jacqui.
- seems a great little lad.
mixes in the right circles, even gets mickey mouse to introduce him. - Nice pix of Oliver! Hope he has a happy life and I am sure the parents are as proud as Jacqui.
Congratulations!