A pot-pourri of a post, featuring my website, mental health, public transport, a new find in the blogging world (for me), human evolution and a few pictures.
INTRODUCTION
I have spent a good part of today working on my website, www.londontu.be, and I also have some pictures that I have not previously shared, plus a few other things.
THE LATEST FROM LONDONTU.BE
I have recently created three new posts that I choose to share here:
Cheshunt – a post that grew out of seeing this on my twitter feed:
Covent Garden – a post that was in part inspired by this:
THE MENTAL HEALTH TASKFORCE
Mind, the mental health charity, have produced this about the Mental Health Task Force:
MUSICAL KEYS
On Monday evening, Musical Keys had another session for autistic people. As well as my usual i-pad generated strings (cello only on this occasion), the session ended with something new – generating sounds by constructing lines on the i-pad screen for balls to bounce off (for those with long memories the approach is bit like reverse “bat and ball”). Here some photos relating to that event:
The Custom House viewed from Queen Street
The Mart.
This is exactly the sort of ride that I hate!
The Pilot Place development
A Rainbow while I was waiting outside (there was a session for youngsters going on, so I felt it best to stay outside although it was cold.
The Scout “Hut”
I-pad screen.
The lines and dots program.
A NEW FIND
To give credit where it is definitely due, it was a post by Mike Sivier at Vox Political that introduced me to anewnatureblog, which I am now following. The particular post that Mike shared and that I followed up on was this one. I subsequently also read this one. I highly recommend this blog.
BETTER TRANSPORT MAPS
It was also courtesy of Mike that I found the Guardian piece that led to my discovery of the better transport campaign. One thing they are doing is producing maps which show how transport services across the UK are being endangered. Just one example: in Norfolk, where I live the county council’s transport budget was £4m in 2010 and £2.67m in 2015 – a cut of 33% in five years (and as a regular user I defy anyone to suggest that Norfolk’s transport provision is not in need of improvement!).
A GIF ABOUT HUMAN EVOLUTION
This little GIF, which WEIT picked up via twitter, started life in Carl Sagan’s Cosmos TV series. I have two links for you:
I have a lot of interesting links to share, and some pictures from today at work.
LOTS OF LINKS
These links cover a wide range of stories. Each link will be preceded by some accompanying text.
First up, a really good story featuring Pizza Express. Please visit samedifference and read the full story.
Next, courtesy of the canary comes this story about the UN warning the Tories that their Trade Union Bill could be in breach of international law. It certainly sinks of double standards – OK to form a government on 37% of a 66% turn out but to go on strike you need 40% all those entitled to vote to vote yes.
My third selection comes courtesy of Tax Research UK and refers to the possible nationalisation of banks, arguing that unlike in 2008 it must be a proper nationalisation this time, and the bankers cannot be left in control again.
I recently put up a link to a DPAC post calling for people to write statements in support of junior doctors. Below is the link to the follow up showing the comments received:
These buildings span most of the history of this town. The first two buildings you will see are visible from right outside my door.
CLIFTON HOUSE TOWER
More or less due west of my own “compact” flat, this tower is instantly recognizable.
THE GRANARIES
Located on the Purfleet side of Baker Lane car park, and one of the tallest buildings in the town.
THE GUILDHALL
The second most iconic building in King’s Lynn. The checkerboard frontage is unique, although a couple of other buildings in the town have small bits of the same in their walls and there is one church in Norwich that is not entirely dissimilar.
GREYFRIARS TOWER
The last remnant of the Franciscan Friary, where at one time Nicholas of Lynn, who certainly sailed as far as Iceland and may have reached the American Coast over a century before Columbus, was resident.
BANK LANE ARCHES
Another remnant, in between Greyfriars and the Library.
THE LIBRARY
An amazing and important building. This construction in brick and carr provides a vital service to the residents of our town.
HAYES AND STORR
A solicitor’s office in a very handsome building that happens to be almost directly opposite the library.
THE METHODIST CHAPEL
Right next door to Hayes and Storr.
THE REMAINS OF ST JAMES’ CHAPEL
One wall section is all that now remains of this chapel, which was also a workhouse in the Victorian age.
THE RED MOUNT CHAPEL
THE CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST
This church sits right at the town end of St John’s Walk.
KING’S LYNN TRAIN STATION
This station, which opened in the 1850s, has recently been restored. It is very close to the centre of the town, and there is the option of a scenic route – follow the footpath down past the church of St John the Evangelist, then diagonally across The Walks to the library, down Millfleet to the river front, along the river front as far as the Purfleet and approach the Tuesday Market Place by way of King Street, thereby circumventing the Vancouver Quarter entirely.
A SECTION OF OLD TOWN WALL
Very little of King’s Lynn’s old town wall survives, but close to Morrisons and the Primary School this section can be seen.
HIGHGATE METHODIST CHAPEL
Much smaller than the main Methodist chapel on London Road, this building is located just off Littleport Street, still very close to the town centre.
AN OLD BUNKER?
I cannot think what else this building which sits next to a small river, just off Littleport Street, could be.
THE LYNN MUSEUM
Admission to this museum, which adjoins the bus station, is free.
THE NEW BUS STATION BUILDING
Following extensive redevelopment work (visit this post for more pictures) the new bus station opened in June of last year. This is the building that accompanied the external developments.
THE MAJESTIC CINEMA
There have been plans to extend this cinema for some time, but for the moment it remains the same as ever.
THE LYNN RESTAURANT
While both the quality and the prices at this restaurant are very acceptable, it is the restoration work that has been done to the building above it that chiefly interests me.
ST NICHOLAS CHAPEL
This chapel has recently been repaired and restored, and the results of all this work are spectacular.
There has been a chapel on this site since 1146
This image shows all four large cushions that comprise the timeline – it is followed by eight individual images that show close ups of parts of the cushions.
The organ – dates from 1899
THREE BUILDINGS FROM THE TUESDAY MARKET PLACE
This building houses the West Nordolk Disability Service among others.Not to be confused with the establishment in Norwich where James and Sons hold some of their auctions, this is The Maids Head, King’s LynnThe Dukes Head, where the Positive Autism Awareness Conference will be taking place on April 15th. This photo was constrained by the presence of the Mart. After a fortnight in Lynn, the Mart splits in to two to go to various other places around the country – but it is only in Lynn that you get to see everything.
CODA: KING’S LYNN’S NEWEST CONSTRUCTION
A new wind turbine has just been built near the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. It was built very rapidly – there was no sign of anything there on Tuesday, by Thursday morning the tower was in place, and by Friday morning it was complete (my bus travels this way on work mornings). Here are a couple of pictures, taken through the window of the bus on Friday…
Some details and images from James and Sons, and another mention of the Positive Autism Awareness Conference.
INTRODUCTION
Imaging for James and Sons’ March Auction (March 30th and probably 31st) is proceeding apace. I imaged the maps that from the bulk of this post a while back, although I am also including something from today.
A BINDER FULL OF ANTIQUE MAPS
These maps form a continuous sequence from lot 391-416 inclusive, and without further ado here are the pictures:
I am concluding this section with the images of a set of speedway badges mounted on canvas which have been divided into 10 lots. Here is a single image of the entire collection:
Here is the gallery of individual images, including some close ups of distinctive badges:
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
The images I have shared above are all for the March Auction, as previously stated, but James and Sons have auctions before that, our main February auction at the Maids Head Hotel, Norwich on the 24th, and a smaller auction taking place at our shop on 5 Norwich Street, Fakenham on the 25th. Full catalogues for both auctions are ready for viewing:
For the big auction on the 24th click here.
For the smaller auction on the 25th click here.
The March auction, at the Prince of Wales Suite, Fakenham Racecourse, is likely be a two day sale, on the 30th and 31st.
Since I have a ‘dates for your diary section’ I conclude this post with a reminder of the Postive Autism Awareness Conference taking place at the Dukes Head Hotel, King’s Lynn on April 15th, commencing at 9:30. I am reliably informed that tickets are selling like hot cakes. After the links below, a copy of the official poster is at the bottom of this post.
Pointers to the booking site for the Positive Autism Awareness Conference and a poster advertising the event.
INTRODUCTION
I first made mention of this conference, organised by NAS West Norfolk, in this post, and have featured reminders about it in several other posts. However, I have two pieces of news that warrant a second whole post devoted to it.
BOOKINGS
We are now able to take bookings for this conference, which takes place on April 15th. The booking site can be accessed here (acknowledgements to Claire King of NAS West Norfolk for posting the link).
The front of the Duke’s Head Hotel where the Positive Autism Awareness Conference will be happening on April 15th.
THE OFFICIAL POSTER
The other recent development in connection with this conference is that we now have an official National Autistic Society poster for the event. This is a version I have edited specifically for being viewed on a screen…
Thanks and acknowledgements to Rachel Meerwald and Karan McKerrow of NAS West Norfolk for various posts and links in connection with this poster. I have a full print size version of this poster saved on my computer as well, and will happily email people copies of that file.
This post was inspired by a comment posted on my ‘about aspiblog’ page by faradayscandle. I will be returning to this theme in future posts.
A SELECTION OF BUILDINGS
We will start with the most iconic building in King’s Lynn…
THE CUSTOM HOUSE
For more about the inside of the building visit this post. Here are two outside pictures both taken recently (the second of them today)…
KING’S LYNN MINSTER
This 12th century church, formlery known as St Margarets, has its own website where you can find out lots of information about it. Here a couple of pictures…
The frontage of this colossal edifice.
A closeup of the tide clock
THE OLD GAOL HOUSE
Still on the Saturday Market Place, this handsome building possesses one very interesting external feature. The building is currently closed, but will reopen as Stories of Lynn around Easter time. Meantime, here are two external pictures…
An interesting outdoor timepiece.
THE GUILDHALL
This remarkable building, right next door to the Old Gaol House, is chiefly known for its checkerboard frontage, but as this post shows, the inside is not too shabby either! Here are some pictures of the outside…
The remainder of the buildings will feature only single pictures. Having finished with the Saturday Market Place, we head towards the Tuesday Market Place, by way of King Street where we feature the Arts Centre…
Frequently when featuring the Tuesday Market Place the Corn Exchange dominates, but I am featuring just one building, The Dukes Head Hotel, home to Philanthropic Lodge 107. Of greater significance at the moment, this building will be hosting a Positive Autism Awareness Conference, organised by NAS West Norfolk. Here is the outside of the building…
ST ANN’S STREET
I am saving St Nicholas’ Chapel for another post, so I offer you St Ann’s House and the upstairs of the barber shop…
Our next brief port of call is…
THE RED MOUNT CHAPEL
This chapel, which is entirely surrounded by beautiful parkland always repays attention. here is a recent picture…
From here we head down the Broad Walk to…
THE LIBRARY
This is the only building in this part of the post of which I am posting more than one image, and both were taken recently. This is one of three libraries that I use on a regular basis, the others being Fakenham and The Millennium Library, Norwich.
The whole building
The frontage
HILLINGTON SQUARE
On our way down to the river, where we will finish, we pass Hillington Square, where improvement work has stopped since the £10 million that was allowed for this project has all been spent. Here is a glimpse of one of the new blocks…
SOMERFELD AND THOMAS
A disused warehouse, in need of renovation. The building is still fundamentally very attractive, and could be turned into something very good.
Before heading towards Lower Purfleet and the end of this post, a little look upriver to…
PALM PAPER
The direction in which the smoke is travelling in this picture (straight towards town) provides one reason as to why we objected to the building of an incinerator there. What we knew of the company who would have built it had we not put a stop to the idea was all bad (no contracts for anything in their native land since 1995, banned outright from operating in 29 of the 5o states of that native land). Also, incinerators are not a good idea anyway (I, and I suspect a majority of the 65,000 of us who said no, did not think it should be built anywhere). The fact that we prevented this should provide encouragement to others faced with greedy politicians trying to force hare-brained schemes on them (see here for a classic example).
MARRIOTT’S WAREHOUSE
A warehouse that has been given the necessary attention. As well as good cafe and restaurant this building houses a small exhibition of models of King’s Lynn buildings. From the outside this is what you see…
THE BANK HOUSE
This hotel his some interesting stuff inside it, and from the outside looks like this:
THE LOWER PURFLEET
We finish the post with a glimpse across the Lower Purfleet from The Bank House, where these buildings can be seen (a stone’s throw away is the Custom House where we started).
A brief account of yesterday;s episode of Antiques Road Trip, which featured both my home town and my employer. Also some photographs and some links.
INTRODUCTION
Although I do have a few other things to share this post is mainly concerned with yesterday’s episode of Antiques Road Trip, which happened to feature an auction at Fakenham Racecourse (which took place on April 29th 2015).
For those who watch, I am the person in the red jacket sitting next to the auctioneer.
This was the start of a new week, so we were introduced to the two experts and shown the car that they would be using first. Then the buying part of the episode happened, which features some excellent footage of King’s Lynn among other places.
The episode concluded, as they all do, with the auction. While I do not know much about what happened to these items after the auction I can tell you that following a couple of other unsuccessful outings the baker’s scales are still on the James and Sons van.
The program was well made, and even though I of course already knew which items were destined to be bought for sale at that auction, nevertheless it held my attention all the way through.
A PICTORIAL INTERLUDE
I mentioned that there was some good footage from King’s Lynn on yesterday’s episode of Antiques Road Trip, and here some photos from King’s Lynn…
St Nicholas Chapel, taken in AugustThe Corn Exchange, also from AugustThe Custom House, from AugustTaken yesterdayTaken yesterdayTaken yesterdayOne of three images of the flag flying above King’s Lynn station, all taken yesterdayThe Red Mount Chapel, taken yesterday
Taken yesterdayTaken yesterdayIt is not often that a poll produces this result! – the story was about a Tory lord who was claiming that their daily allowance was insufficient!The front of the Duke’s Head Hotel where the Positive Autism Awareness Conference will be happening on April 15th.
WWW.LONDONTU.BE
I conclude this post by sharing a few recent posts connected with my London transport themed website:
aspiblog 