Tuesday, 1 May 2012
omething We Should Know ?.
Whilst perusing the candidates list for the forthcoming scottish local elections , I noticed that the candidate for the Scottish Socialist Party in the Johnstone North area of renfrewshire is one, Geoff Knowles. Does the former chair of Silverton Parish Council have a secret double life ?.
Open Mic.
I was interested to hear that The Stoke Canon Inn is now running open Mic nights where musicians turn out for jam sessions, mainly Jazz and Blues, apparently. These sessions seem to be gaining quite a following. Hopefully, one of our local hostelries will take the hint and follow suit.
May Day Greetings.
As we always do, we extend May Day greetings to all our readers wherever they may be.
Baxk To The Old Routine.
Sorry that the blog has been dead of late. Having aquired a new dog I have not been out and about as much as I was and therefore have not picked up any information worth imparting here. Unfortunately, my return to dog walking seems to have coincided with trhe start of the monsoon seadon, accompanied by occasional near hurricanes, so whilst I might be getting the excersise its far from being a pleasent experience/
Saturday, 31 March 2012
Wired Up.
I heard recently that David Cameron's favourite TV programme is the US TV drama series, 'The Wire'. The series, which ran for five seasonsm revolved around the efforts of the Baltimore police department to defeat the drugs trade in that city, whilkst at the same time bayyling against internal police politics and political corruption.
What the series illustrated well was that the so called 'war on drugs' is ultimately unwinnable. No sooner is one drugs network dismantled then another one moves in to fill the vacuum, Given the size if the international drug economy, the state, even the US with its mass of police departments, FBI, CIA, DEA and the rest can only fight a war without end, costing bullions of dollars and tens of thousends of lives, as is being brutallyillustrated at the moment in Mexico in the struggle between the Mexican state and the drug cartels and amongst the cartels themselves. In Britain, the same struggles go on at a much lower level but, apparently with as litle chanve of success. Even in a village like Silverton mosty people have friends or aquaintences who engage in the use of illegal drugs for recreational purposes.
Twelve years ago, when I lived in Scotland, the Scottish Socialist Party called for the legalisation of cannabis and thedecriminalisation of other drugs such as Heroin, and was widely attacked in the scottish press for doing so. In the years since, drugs decriminalisation gas become policy in countries such as Switzerland and Portugal, and allied to active medical intervention to break users from addiction has led to a fall in overall drug use in those countries. These policies have now recieved support from the Global Commission on Drug Policy that includes former UN secretary General, Kofi Annan, Former US secretary of State, George Schultz and Sir Richard Branson. Unfortunately it seems, that the current US administration, undeer constant threat from yje christian, conservative, fundamentalist Right. and the British government, as usual, in thrall to its American masters, seem to see no alternative but to keep going down the road to nowhere where drugs policy is concerned., What Cameron should learn from 'The Wire' is that the War On Drugs not only has failed, but untimately corrupts all those who involve themselves in it.
What the series illustrated well was that the so called 'war on drugs' is ultimately unwinnable. No sooner is one drugs network dismantled then another one moves in to fill the vacuum, Given the size if the international drug economy, the state, even the US with its mass of police departments, FBI, CIA, DEA and the rest can only fight a war without end, costing bullions of dollars and tens of thousends of lives, as is being brutallyillustrated at the moment in Mexico in the struggle between the Mexican state and the drug cartels and amongst the cartels themselves. In Britain, the same struggles go on at a much lower level but, apparently with as litle chanve of success. Even in a village like Silverton mosty people have friends or aquaintences who engage in the use of illegal drugs for recreational purposes.
Twelve years ago, when I lived in Scotland, the Scottish Socialist Party called for the legalisation of cannabis and thedecriminalisation of other drugs such as Heroin, and was widely attacked in the scottish press for doing so. In the years since, drugs decriminalisation gas become policy in countries such as Switzerland and Portugal, and allied to active medical intervention to break users from addiction has led to a fall in overall drug use in those countries. These policies have now recieved support from the Global Commission on Drug Policy that includes former UN secretary General, Kofi Annan, Former US secretary of State, George Schultz and Sir Richard Branson. Unfortunately it seems, that the current US administration, undeer constant threat from yje christian, conservative, fundamentalist Right. and the British government, as usual, in thrall to its American masters, seem to see no alternative but to keep going down the road to nowhere where drugs policy is concerned., What Cameron should learn from 'The Wire' is that the War On Drugs not only has failed, but untimately corrupts all those who involve themselves in it.
Friday, 30 March 2012
Silly Fuel
It now seens that there is to be no tanker drivers strike over Easter. The recent fuel buying panic must be one of the few occasions in modern history where a government has actually gone out of its way to generate panic amongst its citizens. The irony of course is, that had there actually been a strike, government ministers and senior civil servants would probably have been the last people to be affected as no dout, they have contingencies to cober such situations,
I suspect that one of the reasons for the panic may well have been that there has been an almost continual decline in the number of fuel outlets in recent years. Gone are the days when Silverton had Brady's or West's Garages to turn to. Now its the Speedway Garage on the Exeter road 2 miles away and thats it. I expect the recent panic will have done the sale of Bicycles no harm at all.
I suspect that one of the reasons for the panic may well have been that there has been an almost continual decline in the number of fuel outlets in recent years. Gone are the days when Silverton had Brady's or West's Garages to turn to. Now its the Speedway Garage on the Exeter road 2 miles away and thats it. I expect the recent panic will have done the sale of Bicycles no harm at all.
Kicking Them where It Hurts.
Occasionally, we comment on events beyond the parish bounderies and today isone such occasion. I feel the victory of George Galloway in The Bradford West by election overnight deserves some comment.
I make no secret of the fact that I have little time for Gallowat as a person. Whilst I am sympathetic ro his views on Palestine and on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, when it comes to actually building movements in support of the causes he supports, Galloway is congenitally incapable of doing so. Every cause becomes a vehicle for Galloway the self publicist and an opportunity for him to tour the world accepting hospitality from some of the most dubious leaders on the planet. Whilst I have no time for US foriegn policy, I do not, asa Galloway seems to, consider that every leader who opposes US and its allies, military adventures are necessarily heroes of the anti imperialist movement.
Its also worth noting that, when it comes to actually influencing events through the political process, Galloway has proved a consistant failure. He was not noted for being a sucessful leader of Dundee City Council and was a poor constituancy MP both in Glasgow Kelvin, and after his expulsion from the Labour party as Respect MP on Tower Hamlets. He built few effective alliances when in parliament, preferring to operate as a one man band His Respect party has never developed as anytghing more then a support network for his ego and has mainly been the preserve of activists from the Muslim comminity. There seems no reason to think he will be any more successful as the MP for Bradford West then he has been elsewhere.
What then does the Bradford East by election tell us ?. The columnist, Steve Richards, speaking on Radio 4 this mornung, saw Galloway's victory as a continuing part of growing mass disillusionment with the main parties that has been slowly growing for years and is illustrated by the Nuck Clegg phenomenon at the last general election and the rise of the SNP on scotland. I think you also have to add to that, the continuing success of the Green Party in establishing iyself in some areas The success of UKIP in the european elections as well as, unfortunately, the election of two BNP mep's at the same time. There is a growing anger, I believe, both on the left and the right of the political spectrum at a political establishment that increasingly appears to be interested in talking to itself and consulting the piblic only to the extent of getting the answersit has already determined. It is also an establishment that has no interest in any agenda that deviates from pro finance capital, pro US agendas.
From a Left perspective, there is a crying need for an anti austerity, anti war party that will formulate and develop alternative economic and social policies to those on offer at the moment. Most other european countries have such parties who have had greater or lesser electoral succes, but admittedly the British electoral systen is heavily weighted to the rise of political parties beyond those established already. Bradford West afain shows potential for support for such a party, but the record of Galloway and his allies gives little hope that his victory will aid the processes that would allow such a party to emerge.
I make no secret of the fact that I have little time for Gallowat as a person. Whilst I am sympathetic ro his views on Palestine and on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, when it comes to actually building movements in support of the causes he supports, Galloway is congenitally incapable of doing so. Every cause becomes a vehicle for Galloway the self publicist and an opportunity for him to tour the world accepting hospitality from some of the most dubious leaders on the planet. Whilst I have no time for US foriegn policy, I do not, asa Galloway seems to, consider that every leader who opposes US and its allies, military adventures are necessarily heroes of the anti imperialist movement.
Its also worth noting that, when it comes to actually influencing events through the political process, Galloway has proved a consistant failure. He was not noted for being a sucessful leader of Dundee City Council and was a poor constituancy MP both in Glasgow Kelvin, and after his expulsion from the Labour party as Respect MP on Tower Hamlets. He built few effective alliances when in parliament, preferring to operate as a one man band His Respect party has never developed as anytghing more then a support network for his ego and has mainly been the preserve of activists from the Muslim comminity. There seems no reason to think he will be any more successful as the MP for Bradford West then he has been elsewhere.
What then does the Bradford East by election tell us ?. The columnist, Steve Richards, speaking on Radio 4 this mornung, saw Galloway's victory as a continuing part of growing mass disillusionment with the main parties that has been slowly growing for years and is illustrated by the Nuck Clegg phenomenon at the last general election and the rise of the SNP on scotland. I think you also have to add to that, the continuing success of the Green Party in establishing iyself in some areas The success of UKIP in the european elections as well as, unfortunately, the election of two BNP mep's at the same time. There is a growing anger, I believe, both on the left and the right of the political spectrum at a political establishment that increasingly appears to be interested in talking to itself and consulting the piblic only to the extent of getting the answersit has already determined. It is also an establishment that has no interest in any agenda that deviates from pro finance capital, pro US agendas.
From a Left perspective, there is a crying need for an anti austerity, anti war party that will formulate and develop alternative economic and social policies to those on offer at the moment. Most other european countries have such parties who have had greater or lesser electoral succes, but admittedly the British electoral systen is heavily weighted to the rise of political parties beyond those established already. Bradford West afain shows potential for support for such a party, but the record of Galloway and his allies gives little hope that his victory will aid the processes that would allow such a party to emerge.
Thursday, 29 March 2012
Road Works.
Hopefully, there will be less road rage in Wyndham Road, and elsewhere in the village, now that the highways department are undertaking a serious programme of 'patching'. One of the drawbacks to Wyndham Road becoming a bus route has been the dteady deterioration in the condition of the road surface due to the constant use of heavy buses on the road, Hopefully, the 'patching ' operation wil be enough to prevent weakened road surfaces fturning into potholes over the coming months and tears. Given the current cutbacks in local government spending, it could be the last serious road repair work we see here for some considerable time.
New Photo's.
In honour of Spring I have added some new photo's of the village and hope to add some more soon. I have added some photo's ftaken around the village plus some that were taken at the start of the Silverton Mile. Later in the year, I am hoping to repost some of the photo's that first appeared on the 'Silvertonia' blog between June 2008 and August 2009.
Friday, 23 March 2012
Spring Comes To Silverton.
The sun is out, The temperature is rising the daffodils are in bloom and it looks as though spring has come to Silverton. I am hoping to have some photo's of Silverton in spring on the blog within the next few days, also, some photo's of places that are mentioned here, especially for the benifit of our readers from outside the village.
Silvertonians On Stage.
Its good to hear that a number of younger Silvertonians aquitted themselves well in the production of Les Miserables at Clyst Vale Community College last night, Its good to see younger Silvertonians getting noticed for some staged drama, rather then for some of the other drama we have become rather too well known for lately.
Thursday, 22 March 2012
Spooky.
I notice that I seem to have regular readers in The US, Russia and a follower called Smiley . I hopr that this is not a case of various intelligence agencies filling in their time and seeking to justify their budgets by monitoring the random musings of some bloke in a small Devon village by claiming that this blog throws light on the more general mood within the UK.
It Does not.
It Does not.
Party Suggestion.
Returning briefly to the Section 30 issue, I have suggested elsewhere, that when, as we hope, the section 30 order is lifted in August, we should organise a village party to celebrate the lifting and to invite the media along to show the world that the village is putting iys troubles behind it.
On the other hand, of, for some reason, the order is not lifted, we could organise a 'Rock Against The Section' event with bands like Idiom.'
Come to think of it, perhaps it would be more fun.
On the other hand, of, for some reason, the order is not lifted, we could organise a 'Rock Against The Section' event with bands like Idiom.'
Come to think of it, perhaps it would be more fun.
Community A ClassIssue.
In a comment on the Express and Echo website today in regard to the Silverton section 30 affair a correspondant commented that they would rather live on Exeter's notorious Burthouse Lane estate then in our own dear village. This attracted some amused responses on the 'What's On In Silverton' facebook page, including a somewhgat ironic comment from yours truly, but there is an interesting contrast involved here.
Thr Burthouse Lane housing estate is a large public housing estate that lies on the south side of Exeter, It was largely vuilt in the post war period to house those who were noved out of Exeter's historic West Quarter after it recieved heavy bomb damage during the blitz by the Luftwaffe during the second world war. It was fhe result a rather nore drastic form of slum clearence then elsewhere, but it has, in common with estates like Pollock or Castlemilk in Glasgow the fact that often close knit, working class communities were uprooted and moved to outlying estates. Over the years after the war, and in the period since, Burnthouse Lane aquired, sometimes rightly and sometimes not, a reputation for being a hotbed of crime and not the sort of place one would venture at night. Whats interesting is that, over the years and for all its undoubted troubles, Burnthouse Lane has retained a sort of community solidarity and self organisation that many other similar areas lost long ago.
As described on this blog previously, Silverton lost its old sense of community long ago and, because of the transient nature of much of its current, and increasingly middle class population, is forever engagrd in a struggle to hold on to a new one. There seems to be little continuity to what happens in the village these days with many having little, or no knowledge of what went on here before they came. Much of the automatic denigration of Estates such as Burnthouse Lane, noth here and elsewhere often has distinct class overtones but its not the black and white situation that some would have us believe.
Thr Burthouse Lane housing estate is a large public housing estate that lies on the south side of Exeter, It was largely vuilt in the post war period to house those who were noved out of Exeter's historic West Quarter after it recieved heavy bomb damage during the blitz by the Luftwaffe during the second world war. It was fhe result a rather nore drastic form of slum clearence then elsewhere, but it has, in common with estates like Pollock or Castlemilk in Glasgow the fact that often close knit, working class communities were uprooted and moved to outlying estates. Over the years after the war, and in the period since, Burnthouse Lane aquired, sometimes rightly and sometimes not, a reputation for being a hotbed of crime and not the sort of place one would venture at night. Whats interesting is that, over the years and for all its undoubted troubles, Burnthouse Lane has retained a sort of community solidarity and self organisation that many other similar areas lost long ago.
As described on this blog previously, Silverton lost its old sense of community long ago and, because of the transient nature of much of its current, and increasingly middle class population, is forever engagrd in a struggle to hold on to a new one. There seems to be little continuity to what happens in the village these days with many having little, or no knowledge of what went on here before they came. Much of the automatic denigration of Estates such as Burnthouse Lane, noth here and elsewhere often has distinct class overtones but its not the black and white situation that some would have us believe.
Another International Reader.
I always like to say hello to our international readers, so a big hello to our newest visitor, from Malaysia.
Additionally. I note this evening that we have had two views from India. Welcome to the club.
Additionally. I note this evening that we have had two views from India. Welcome to the club.
A Smal Light In A Dark World.
One good point that emerged from a pretty crap budget was thar Osborne decided not to increase duty on alcohol. As regular readers of this blog will jbow, we have for some tine been pointing out the detrimental effects of increasing taxation on alcohol in terms of the way that tax increases impact on theBritish pub, Sadly. the chancellor did not also find some way of levelling the playing field when it comes to the big supermarkets selling cheap boozr, but I suspect that we may see something along these lines when the government unveils its new alcohol strategy later this year.
Personally, the budget had little impact as far as mt life is concerned but I suspect that things may well be different when the next round of public sector spending cuts come along. Having begun to attack somewhat wealthier pensioners then myself, I would expect that Osborne will be soon messing around with other things that make life tolerable such as the bus pass and the winter fuel allowance. The people I really feel sorry for are those aged fifty and under who seem to be neing prepared for the day when they will have to work tikk they drop.pub. Sad;
Personally, the budget had little impact as far as mt life is concerned but I suspect that things may well be different when the next round of public sector spending cuts come along. Having begun to attack somewhat wealthier pensioners then myself, I would expect that Osborne will be soon messing around with other things that make life tolerable such as the bus pass and the winter fuel allowance. The people I really feel sorry for are those aged fifty and under who seem to be neing prepared for the day when they will have to work tikk they drop.pub. Sad;
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
Beering Up.
According to The Campaign For Real Ale, quored on the radio this morning, this tear, for the first time, more beer will be sold through shops then through local pubs. CAMRA use this to call for a freeze on neer tax in tomorrows budget and their statement seems to be part of a growing realisation that where pubs are concerned, the endless tax increases are having the effect of throwing the baby out with thebathwater by destroying the local pub as a vital component of Camerom's much vaunted 'Big Society'.
in Silverton, we are lucky to still be able to sustain three pubs and this blog has pointed out in the past the role of the Public house in controlling alcohol consumption. , This blog expects and asks for little from the ConDe, voalition but support for the call by CAMRA for a freeze on beer tax would be a small step in the right direction.
in Silverton, we are lucky to still be able to sustain three pubs and this blog has pointed out in the past the role of the Public house in controlling alcohol consumption. , This blog expects and asks for little from the ConDe, voalition but support for the call by CAMRA for a freeze on beer tax would be a small step in the right direction.
And Yet More.
Today, The Daily Mail and The Metro, koin the coverage of our dispersal order. The Right Wing press seem to be having a field day with this. I suspect it is because it plays into the Tories 'Broken Brotaon' agenda, the subtext being that if you can get this sort of gehaviour in 'the quintessential English village' that is Silverton, you can get it anywhere and that no where is safe without a few more doses of social control of one sort or another.
How nice to be part of someones political agenda.
How nice to be part of someones political agenda.
Monday, 19 March 2012
When Will It Ever End ?,
Just when you might think that its safe to by the papers again, Today, The Daily Telegrah decided to give the dispersal order story one more outing. I am not hoping to post a link to this as I dont want to give this load of old nonesense any more pubkicity then it deserves, but one featore of The Telegraph story is noteworthy.
Rather then sending a photographer down, or even reprinting the, by now well known picture of The Square, The Telegraph decided to illustrate their story with a photograph of a bunch of kids sitting on a wall somewhere, certainly not Silverton, wearing trainers certainly a bit too 'urban' for these parts. The Telegraph has a reputation for being a serious newspaper but its a reputation that is certainly not going to be enhanced by publishing this particular load of reheated old mince accompanied by a photo with no connection at all to the story or its contents.
Lazy journalism at its worst.
Rather then sending a photographer down, or even reprinting the, by now well known picture of The Square, The Telegraph decided to illustrate their story with a photograph of a bunch of kids sitting on a wall somewhere, certainly not Silverton, wearing trainers certainly a bit too 'urban' for these parts. The Telegraph has a reputation for being a serious newspaper but its a reputation that is certainly not going to be enhanced by publishing this particular load of reheated old mince accompanied by a photo with no connection at all to the story or its contents.
Lazy journalism at its worst.
Saturday, 17 March 2012
Happy St Patrick's Day.
Given that the number of people in Silverton with Irish connections of one sort or another seems to be increasing all the time, it seems only right that we wish all those with friends and family across the water a happy St Patrick's Day. I am sure the Guinness will be flowing in the pubs tonight even amongst those whose only connection to the Emerald Isle is a taste for the black stuff.
The Guinness will of course, taste better, for some, if Ireland beats England at Rugby, but time will tell on that subject.
The Guinness will of course, taste better, for some, if Ireland beats England at Rugby, but time will tell on that subject.
Friday, 16 March 2012
The Silverton Mile.
Should you be in the Silverton aewa tomorrow ,ormimg and see groups of people moving through the village behaving more strangely , or dressing more outrageously then usual, You will be observing, not the aftermath of some wild all night party, but The Silverton Mile.
The Silverton Mile will commence at 10.30pm from outside the Primary School and participants will go around a designated course. Participants may cover the course by running, walking, dancing, crawling or, presumably by doing handstands. Any sort of dress is acceptablr, although I would think that the weather is still too cold for too much undress. Ebtrance fee is £1.00, proceeds to Sports Relief. All welcome to take part.
The Silverton Mile will commence at 10.30pm from outside the Primary School and participants will go around a designated course. Participants may cover the course by running, walking, dancing, crawling or, presumably by doing handstands. Any sort of dress is acceptablr, although I would think that the weather is still too cold for too much undress. Ebtrance fee is £1.00, proceeds to Sports Relief. All welcome to take part.
Sunlight.
Interesting to see that solar panels are now being installed in all the Mid Devon District Council owned properties in the area. Given the rapidly rising cost of gas and electricity nationally, anything that contributes to cutting the costs of fuel use can only be a good thing. Being in a privately rented flat I , unfortunately do not benefit from this but good luck to those who do.
One drawback to the solar panels at the moment is that we seem to be covered by an almost constant cover of cloud. This has been one of the dullest starts to march that I can re,e,ner. Let us hope that some strong sunlight soon penetrates the gloom to get these solar panels working at full strength.
One drawback to the solar panels at the moment is that we seem to be covered by an almost constant cover of cloud. This has been one of the dullest starts to march that I can re,e,ner. Let us hope that some strong sunlight soon penetrates the gloom to get these solar panels working at full strength.
Thursday, 15 March 2012
Congratulations.
Congratulations tony nephew, Micheal Carroll on his recent marraige to Amrita. Wisely, in my view, the couple had a quiet wedding at Gretna Green and did a honeymoon tour of scotland including Glasgow and Ayr.
It is to be hoped that they have a long and happy life together.
It is to be hoped that they have a long and happy life together.
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Another One Bites The Dust
So, despite the objections of the Parish Council, permission has now been granted by Mid Devon District Council for the conversion of the old Londis shop and the flat above to be redeveloped as a house. This means that Silverton's most historic outlet has finally bitten the dust. It is a remarkable fact that as the population of the village has increased the number of retail outlets in the village have consistantly declined. The growth of the supermarkets and the rise of internet shopping have killed off most of the retail outlets in rural areas even in an expanding community like Silverton.
What replaces the shops ?. On the case of the Londis site it looks as though it will be the sort of hopusing that will be nought by those on the bottom rung of the property ladder who will probably be here today and gone tomorrow. people to whom Silverton will just be a short stop on the career ladder, most of whose names we shall probably never know and whose connrctions with the village will probably be minimal. Thats what happens in the commuter belt and we can see it happening on the grand scale with Cranbrook, near Broadclyst. If planning decisions are to be returned to local communities through legislation like the Localism Bill a priority of local councils that they take account of community stability through giving priority to affordable housing for those with local connections.
What replaces the shops ?. On the case of the Londis site it looks as though it will be the sort of hopusing that will be nought by those on the bottom rung of the property ladder who will probably be here today and gone tomorrow. people to whom Silverton will just be a short stop on the career ladder, most of whose names we shall probably never know and whose connrctions with the village will probably be minimal. Thats what happens in the commuter belt and we can see it happening on the grand scale with Cranbrook, near Broadclyst. If planning decisions are to be returned to local communities through legislation like the Localism Bill a priority of local councils that they take account of community stability through giving priority to affordable housing for those with local connections.
Monday, 12 March 2012
Bloggers Note
Several hunfred people have accessed this blog in the past few days. mainly for news about the life, death and funeral of Andrew 'Lux' Luckham. Blogs like this can sometimes give a more personal and detailed view of stories such as this then can be found in the mainstream media. Hopefully, some of those who have passed through will have taken the time to read a vit more of what is here and will have learnt a little more about Silverton, irs history and people. Maybe some will also have taken a look at our friends at the 'Whats On In Silverton ?' Faceboom page or even the website of Silverton Parish Council.
Overall, I hope that all these internet outlets have provided a more balanced view of our community then that which has been provided by sections of the media of late and that, if you have not visited us before you might think about visiting us in the future.
We dont bite.
Often.
Overall, I hope that all these internet outlets have provided a more balanced view of our community then that which has been provided by sections of the media of late and that, if you have not visited us before you might think about visiting us in the future.
We dont bite.
Often.
Moving on.
And so, after the drama and mixed emotions of the past few daysm Silverton begins to return to normal. The thoughts of many turn towards spring and the activities that go with the season, clearing out the garden, spring cleaning and doing the DIY jobs that were neglected over winter, On the pub scene, the darts and xkittles seasons move on towards rgeir comclusion and in the wider comminity, the planning steps up a gear for the summer events, for those interested, the Jubilee festivities and for street market. , Mothers Day and Easter draw ever closer and the nights become ever shorter.
So, the village moves on, but recent rvents, the public meeting and, more particularly the funeral, will nener be forgotten by those whowere affected by them.
So, the village moves on, but recent rvents, the public meeting and, more particularly the funeral, will nener be forgotten by those whowere affected by them.
Saturday, 10 March 2012
Sunflowers For Lux.
Someone from the village told me thgis evening that they had been to the crash site at Offwell where Lux died, and planted some sunflower seeds. The reasoning was, that picked flowers die but that sunflowers can provide a more permanent memorial.
Lux Srnd Off Video .
A short video clip of the bikes escorting Lux out of Silverton Square has been posted by Tom Parker on the 'Whats On In Silverton ?'. Facebook page.
Good work, Tom.
Good work, Tom.
Friday, 9 March 2012
A Grand Send Off.
St Mary' The Virgin's Church in Silverton, was packed to the doors this afternoon for the funeral of Andrew ;Lux' Luckham. Estimates of attendence in the church range between 250 and 350 with pronanly about another 100 outside. The coffin was taken into the church to the sound of 'Baker Street' by the late, Gerry Rafferty. The congregation was made up of a cross section of those who knew 'Lux' in life,His family, people from Silverton, from Henyock and Culmstock, where he had livedrecently, , and from the world of Motorcycling. Representitives of clubs and groups attending included Satan's Slaves MC , The Billy Boys, The Motorcycle Action Group and a number of independent bikers.
Rge address was given by the Rev Alan MacDonald, who stressed in his address, 'Lux's ' love of life, his sense of humour and his love of motorcycling and fishing he said that 'Lux' lived life to the full until it was cruelly snuffed out on a february morning on a Devon road'; The coffin left the church to the sound of ' Bat out of Hell' by Meatloaf.
The final jouney to the cremetorium began in the square where about 70 bukers formed up behind the hearse and moved off to the applause of the mass of Silvertonians and others assembled there. In the hours afterwards, The Lamb Inn was packed for the celebration of the life of 'Lux' a celebration that continues as this is being written.
It was appropriate that someone that was loved by so many should have got such a grand send off from the village where he was brought up and in the pub where he spent so many happy hours. His passing has left many poorer , but we know that he will always be with us in spirit.
Donations for' Lux' which are to go to the Devon Air Ambulabce, should be sent to LeRoy funeral directors of Alpington Road, Exeter. Full address can be found at their website.
Rge address was given by the Rev Alan MacDonald, who stressed in his address, 'Lux's ' love of life, his sense of humour and his love of motorcycling and fishing he said that 'Lux' lived life to the full until it was cruelly snuffed out on a february morning on a Devon road'; The coffin left the church to the sound of ' Bat out of Hell' by Meatloaf.
The final jouney to the cremetorium began in the square where about 70 bukers formed up behind the hearse and moved off to the applause of the mass of Silvertonians and others assembled there. In the hours afterwards, The Lamb Inn was packed for the celebration of the life of 'Lux' a celebration that continues as this is being written.
It was appropriate that someone that was loved by so many should have got such a grand send off from the village where he was brought up and in the pub where he spent so many happy hours. His passing has left many poorer , but we know that he will always be with us in spirit.
Donations for' Lux' which are to go to the Devon Air Ambulabce, should be sent to LeRoy funeral directors of Alpington Road, Exeter. Full address can be found at their website.
Today's Funeral.
In the past few days, daily traffic to this blog has more then trebled. Further analysis shows that most of the increased has been generated by the obitury for Andrew 'Lux' Luckham. This blog will be attempting to cover the funeral and the following celebration of the life of 'Lux' as best we can and , a report, hopefully, with some photographs, will be appearing over the weekend.
Leave Us Alone.
I understand that yesterday The Sunday Express was contacting people in the village in an attempt to work over the dispersal order story one more time. A simple messahe to The Express and any others who feel inclined to dig this up again. Its old news, enough damage has been done and the village is moving on. Leave us alone.
Dead Bush.Blues.
Rgere is a dead bush in 'the little rec' in Silverton Square. Because 'The Little Rec' is in a conservation area, Devon County Council required a photograph of said bush before it could be removed. The photograph was supplied but DCC then ruled that it was unacceptable because it did not show the exact position of the bush in 'The Little Rec' and a new photograph would need to be submitted.
So, whilst some beaurocrat in the depths of County Hall is spending his days studying the locations of dead bushes in minute detail. in the real world Devon County Council are slashing social care budgets to the bone.
Youy couldnt make it up.
So, whilst some beaurocrat in the depths of County Hall is spending his days studying the locations of dead bushes in minute detail. in the real world Devon County Council are slashing social care budgets to the bone.
Youy couldnt make it up.
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Who Watches The Neighborhood Watch ?. War
Over last weekend, someone stole the Neighborhood Watch sign from the wall outside Nettleworth House in Church Road. This raises the question who, watches the Neighborhood Watch when the Neighborhood Warch is watching ?.
Community.
At the meeting ob tuesday, parish councillor, Simon Steer, stated that one of the reasons for the recent problems in the village, was because Silverton had lost a sense of community. I think that this view has a great deal of validity although I think that the loss of community happened several decades ago and its worth looking at the reasons why.
If Silverton has lost its sense of community its worth looking at the development of the village in its historical contect/
Silverton has probably stood in iys current location for somewhere in the region of 15, 00 years, since the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons, although there are a few indications that there might have been earlier settlements in the area as indicated by the at the site, north of the village, known as 'Pigs Park'. Silverton was probably, first a small collection of farms that developed into a way station on the road between Exeter and Tiverton where horses could be fed and watered before the long clomb up over the hill now known as Christ Cross, and later as a small market town. The settlement was mainly along the main stret and a few lanes that ran off it, plus a few fatms. probably nothing much changed for over a thousand years with a settled population mainly working on the land. The population of Silverton Parish grew slowly to about 16. 00 ny the mid nineteenth centurym but declined somewhat during the agricultural depression of the 1870s. Silverton was bypassed by the new section of the main Exeter to Tiverton road which was built in the waely 1830s. After this its market function went ionto decline and died out.
In all this time the community would have remained reletively stable with people marrying eiyjer within the village or, marrying partners from meighbouring communities such as Bradninch or Thorverton. We know that 'Navvies' working on the new road in the 1830s had lodgings in the village and undoubtedlt some stayed on, as did those who came to build the Exeter-Tiverton railway line in the 1870s. A number of these came from south wales and some of their names are to be found in the village today in the names of French and Davies Closes. These additions to the community were not such as to make a major change in the nature of the population. During the later part of the nineteenth and into the twentieth centuries there was a steady shift in employment away from the land and into the paper mills at Silverton, Hele and Stoke Canon. , Better transport links also meant better access to employment opportunities in Exeter and Tiverton.
So, by the middle of the twentieth century we have a well settled and reletively syable community where most people worked together and often were related. Community activities involved a very large percentage of the community, even after the expansion of council housing in the village that took place largely between the nineteen twenties and the nineteen sixties in the area then known as Lily Lake with some addition of social housing at the top of Coach Road and the top of Wyndham Road in the nid nioneteen seventies. During those periods, nearly all social housing was let to local people.
The big changes begin in the late 1960e with the building of private estates at Sulverdale and Applemead which marked the beginning of a steady influx of people from outside the village and often from outside the county. It was at this time that the first complaints about the breakdown of community negin to be heard and the nature of the community changes even more during the 1980s with the development of the large private estates in the lower Wyndham Road and Hederman Close off Park Road. The nature of the community is further changed by the sale of social housing, initiated by the Thatcher government which meant that former council houses were sold to outsiders and chanhes to social housing allocation policy which meant that housing remaining in council hands could, and often was allocated to those in need of it from mid devon as a whole, and sometimes well beyond. Many of the newcomers worked in Exeter and the nature of their employment, mainly in administration meant that the character of the village moved steadily from neing mainly that of the manual working class to being nore middle class, but that many of the newcomers, by nature of their work tended to be only resident in the village for a seletivelt short time. Thisv trend was intensified by the rapid decline and near extinction of Paper making in the 1990s. By the turn of the century many of the old village families no longer existed or, had been driven to the edges of village life. Attempts were made to shore up Silverton as a community, notably through the Silverton Weeks of the 1970s and the Street Markets that begab in the early 1990s both with some success but with Street Market depending on its survival more om people from outside the villasge rather then from those within.
The question then arises for Silverton, as for many other similar communities with a similar location close to a big city is how do you achieve, and retain, a sense of community solidarity in a community whose social inks have been changed so radically, often in the space of under one life time and whose social composition will almost certainly continue to experience rapid change, probably brought about by more housing construction It is this struggle to maintain a sense of community that underlies much of yje unease around the perceptions of anti social behaviour that have plagued the village in recent months and I suggest that it is an issue that will define much of the thinking about village life in the years to come.
If Silverton has lost its sense of community its worth looking at the development of the village in its historical contect/
Silverton has probably stood in iys current location for somewhere in the region of 15, 00 years, since the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons, although there are a few indications that there might have been earlier settlements in the area as indicated by the at the site, north of the village, known as 'Pigs Park'. Silverton was probably, first a small collection of farms that developed into a way station on the road between Exeter and Tiverton where horses could be fed and watered before the long clomb up over the hill now known as Christ Cross, and later as a small market town. The settlement was mainly along the main stret and a few lanes that ran off it, plus a few fatms. probably nothing much changed for over a thousand years with a settled population mainly working on the land. The population of Silverton Parish grew slowly to about 16. 00 ny the mid nineteenth centurym but declined somewhat during the agricultural depression of the 1870s. Silverton was bypassed by the new section of the main Exeter to Tiverton road which was built in the waely 1830s. After this its market function went ionto decline and died out.
In all this time the community would have remained reletively stable with people marrying eiyjer within the village or, marrying partners from meighbouring communities such as Bradninch or Thorverton. We know that 'Navvies' working on the new road in the 1830s had lodgings in the village and undoubtedlt some stayed on, as did those who came to build the Exeter-Tiverton railway line in the 1870s. A number of these came from south wales and some of their names are to be found in the village today in the names of French and Davies Closes. These additions to the community were not such as to make a major change in the nature of the population. During the later part of the nineteenth and into the twentieth centuries there was a steady shift in employment away from the land and into the paper mills at Silverton, Hele and Stoke Canon. , Better transport links also meant better access to employment opportunities in Exeter and Tiverton.
So, by the middle of the twentieth century we have a well settled and reletively syable community where most people worked together and often were related. Community activities involved a very large percentage of the community, even after the expansion of council housing in the village that took place largely between the nineteen twenties and the nineteen sixties in the area then known as Lily Lake with some addition of social housing at the top of Coach Road and the top of Wyndham Road in the nid nioneteen seventies. During those periods, nearly all social housing was let to local people.
The big changes begin in the late 1960e with the building of private estates at Sulverdale and Applemead which marked the beginning of a steady influx of people from outside the village and often from outside the county. It was at this time that the first complaints about the breakdown of community negin to be heard and the nature of the community changes even more during the 1980s with the development of the large private estates in the lower Wyndham Road and Hederman Close off Park Road. The nature of the community is further changed by the sale of social housing, initiated by the Thatcher government which meant that former council houses were sold to outsiders and chanhes to social housing allocation policy which meant that housing remaining in council hands could, and often was allocated to those in need of it from mid devon as a whole, and sometimes well beyond. Many of the newcomers worked in Exeter and the nature of their employment, mainly in administration meant that the character of the village moved steadily from neing mainly that of the manual working class to being nore middle class, but that many of the newcomers, by nature of their work tended to be only resident in the village for a seletivelt short time. Thisv trend was intensified by the rapid decline and near extinction of Paper making in the 1990s. By the turn of the century many of the old village families no longer existed or, had been driven to the edges of village life. Attempts were made to shore up Silverton as a community, notably through the Silverton Weeks of the 1970s and the Street Markets that begab in the early 1990s both with some success but with Street Market depending on its survival more om people from outside the villasge rather then from those within.
The question then arises for Silverton, as for many other similar communities with a similar location close to a big city is how do you achieve, and retain, a sense of community solidarity in a community whose social inks have been changed so radically, often in the space of under one life time and whose social composition will almost certainly continue to experience rapid change, probably brought about by more housing construction It is this struggle to maintain a sense of community that underlies much of yje unease around the perceptions of anti social behaviour that have plagued the village in recent months and I suggest that it is an issue that will define much of the thinking about village life in the years to come.
The Lamb Inn Shed.
Its probably worth a short explanation for our international readers of what is meant by The Lamb Inn Shed. When The Lamb Inn was bought by the current owners, Alan and Janr Isaac in 1999, they had a bew function room and Skittle alley constructed attached to the pub and it is now used for a wide range of activities including Skittles matches, wedding, christening and funeral parties and meetings. It has become, over the past 13 years a vital part of Silverton life.
The Meeting.
A short report on the meeting held on tuesday evening to discuss the issues around the recent incidents of anti social behaviour in the village and ways to divert younger people from such activities in the future.
About 50 people attended the meeting facilitated by the parish council and held in The Lamb Inn Shed. The meeting was chaired by the chair of the parish council and representitives of the police and mid devon district council and devon county council departments were in attendence. police sergeant, Paul Roberts from the Tiverton policing team gave the background to the recent imposition of a dispersal order and explaining what the aims of the order were. This is to allow police to disperse people they consider likely to cause trouble before it starts. He reported that although there had been a sharp rise in reported crime and anti social behaviour percentage wise in the months preceding the dispersal order, numbers remained small and overall the village remains a safe place to live,
The meeting then opened up to a general discussion around ways forward and there were a number of useful contributions from the floor. including from the few younger members of the community who attended, notably from Ben Rice. Ben pointed out that much of the trouble had enenated from a slightly older group within the village and from their friends from outsude Silverton. Other contributions concentrated on the provision of facilities such as the reconstruction of the BNX track and better use of the facilities of The Community Hall for youth activities. A positive aspect of the meeting was provided by some people with experience of youth work volunteering to help move things forward and to that end a contasct group was established.
On the whole, I thought that the meeting did about what could have been expected of it in being the start of a process rather then providing any magic bullet solutions. With hindsight, I also think that the attendence of the police probably prevented certin issues within the village being discussed as openly as they might otherwise have been.
About 50 people attended the meeting facilitated by the parish council and held in The Lamb Inn Shed. The meeting was chaired by the chair of the parish council and representitives of the police and mid devon district council and devon county council departments were in attendence. police sergeant, Paul Roberts from the Tiverton policing team gave the background to the recent imposition of a dispersal order and explaining what the aims of the order were. This is to allow police to disperse people they consider likely to cause trouble before it starts. He reported that although there had been a sharp rise in reported crime and anti social behaviour percentage wise in the months preceding the dispersal order, numbers remained small and overall the village remains a safe place to live,
The meeting then opened up to a general discussion around ways forward and there were a number of useful contributions from the floor. including from the few younger members of the community who attended, notably from Ben Rice. Ben pointed out that much of the trouble had enenated from a slightly older group within the village and from their friends from outsude Silverton. Other contributions concentrated on the provision of facilities such as the reconstruction of the BNX track and better use of the facilities of The Community Hall for youth activities. A positive aspect of the meeting was provided by some people with experience of youth work volunteering to help move things forward and to that end a contasct group was established.
On the whole, I thought that the meeting did about what could have been expected of it in being the start of a process rather then providing any magic bullet solutions. With hindsight, I also think that the attendence of the police probably prevented certin issues within the village being discussed as openly as they might otherwise have been.
Increasing Traffic
I notice that views of this blog rose to 35 yesterday, a record. Dont know why so much interest at the moment, but we shall do our best to hold the audience.
Monday, 5 March 2012
Renibder
Public Meeting.
Anti Social Behaviour And Ways Foewaed.
7.30pm. Tuesday Mar 6th.
Lamb Inn Shed, Silverton.
ALL WELCOME.
Anti Social Behaviour And Ways Foewaed.
7.30pm. Tuesday Mar 6th.
Lamb Inn Shed, Silverton.
ALL WELCOME.
International pt 2
On the latest stats for the blog, I note that this blog has recently been read, beyond these shores, in Australia, Franve, Germany, The United States and Russia. You wonder who in Russia is interested in the doings of a small Devon village. Who knows, one day we may wake up and find that Silverton FC has been bought by a Russian oil billionaire, or that newlt elected President, Vladimir Putin is popping in for a holiday stay at The Three Tuns.
If any of our international friends would like to make themselves known, please feel free to use the comments section.
If any of our international friends would like to make themselves known, please feel free to use the comments section.
Thought For The Day.
I wonder what really does the most damage in the village. a few kids in hoods hanging around the bus shelter and occasionally getting a bit lairy, or the incessant rumble of the rumour and gossip machine.
The gosip machine is always at work, Nost of the time its like background noise that no one takes much notice of, but at times of stress and tension it can become destructive. None of us are innocent of occasionally fuelling the machine but some people seem to almost make it a profession. Tese are usually the obsessional curtain twitchers, the over judgemental, those with little else to fill there time and those who my late wife used to describe as 'The know all's who know F**k all'. Nost of then are essentially, 'sleekit', to use a good scots word and are expert at presenting a smiling face whuke preparing to stab victims in the back.
Silverton has its fair share of these people, nut rather then hanging out at the bus shelter they can be found around certain pubs and shops. They dont get dispersal orders and are usually immune from any sanction at all. This is the dark side of the word'community'. but as much a part of village life as the Street Market, the Twinning Committee or the Drama Group. In this respect, Silverton is no different from any other village or, indeed any other human community since homo sapiens walked off the plains of Africa. unpleasent as it all is, it is as impossible to wish away as old age and death.
The gosip machine is always at work, Nost of the time its like background noise that no one takes much notice of, but at times of stress and tension it can become destructive. None of us are innocent of occasionally fuelling the machine but some people seem to almost make it a profession. Tese are usually the obsessional curtain twitchers, the over judgemental, those with little else to fill there time and those who my late wife used to describe as 'The know all's who know F**k all'. Nost of then are essentially, 'sleekit', to use a good scots word and are expert at presenting a smiling face whuke preparing to stab victims in the back.
Silverton has its fair share of these people, nut rather then hanging out at the bus shelter they can be found around certain pubs and shops. They dont get dispersal orders and are usually immune from any sanction at all. This is the dark side of the word'community'. but as much a part of village life as the Street Market, the Twinning Committee or the Drama Group. In this respect, Silverton is no different from any other village or, indeed any other human community since homo sapiens walked off the plains of Africa. unpleasent as it all is, it is as impossible to wish away as old age and death.
Sunday, 4 March 2012
Spare A Copper.
Funny how media concious the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary are these days. On the day that the media circus hit town a couple of Devon and Cornwall's finest could be seen patrolling the streets and chatting to anyone they could find, whilst on friday night, no less then four police persons could be found in the village complaining that their time would be better spent in Tiverton or Cullompton.
What the police dont seem to grasp is that people are'nt stupid. They are not impressed by police on every street corner because of media attention that they know will Disappear once the media attention shifts elsewhere. All they really want is a copper with a regular presence in the village over a prolonged period, who knows the people of the village tey serve and are not goping to be relocated because of the changing priorities of the new crime commissioners, a Chief Constable or because some new Home Secretary decides that community policing would be better dome by G4S.
What the police dont seem to grasp is that people are'nt stupid. They are not impressed by police on every street corner because of media attention that they know will Disappear once the media attention shifts elsewhere. All they really want is a copper with a regular presence in the village over a prolonged period, who knows the people of the village tey serve and are not goping to be relocated because of the changing priorities of the new crime commissioners, a Chief Constable or because some new Home Secretary decides that community policing would be better dome by G4S.
Lemmings.
Like nany others in the village, I was surprised last thursdat morning to turn on the early morning BBC radio programme 'Good Morning Devon' to find that Silverton was headline news. It appwaes that Radio Devon had picked up on the story first published in the locasl papers some weeks ago, regarding the dispersal order that had come into force in the villagr following recent inciodents of anti social behaviour. Radio Devon slanted the story to try and emphsise the 'shock/horror' value of a 'picture postcard village' neing plagued by a wave of anti social behaviour. The chair of the parish council and assorted villagers, appeared on the programme speaking for and against the order and it was the subject of the Radio Devon phone in programme at lunchtime the same day.
What we then had was the rest of the local broadcast media acting like a pack of lemmings with BBC and ITV camera crews and reporters running around the Square trying to get interviews with anyone who appeared to be interested in talking to them and even filming a couple of the local youth sitting on a bench. All followed the Fadsio Devon 'picture postcard' line with no real analysis or understanding of the fact that most of the events that led to the imposition of yje dispersal order in the first place, are little different then events that have been paty of the life of communities like Silverton for decades, if not centuaries. Given that the order has been in place for weeks and that the anti social incidents had dried up, this was a classiv non story blown up to fill in the space on the news programmes on a 'slacj news day'. This was all but admitted in an echange of eMails between Sue Banks, of this parish, and Mark Tyler, the owner of Radio Exe on Facebook the day following.
A few things come to mind arising from this situation. The Silverton story was an example of journalism at its laziest and worst. A non story was inflated to fill in a few minutes on a news programme without any of the media outlets involved being inclined to find an original angle. If they can cover a story like the Silverton dispersal order in this fashion, how many other, more serious stories, get treated in the same manner. Additionally, an issue within the village which most had thought was in the process of being resolved, has now been stirred up again to no ones benefit and there is no doubt the belief in the South West generally that Silverton is now one of the crime capitals of Devon.
One can only hope that the media will give as much attention to the ongoing work being done in the village to deal with the underlying problems that led to the imposition of the dispersal order in the first place, but giben the notoriously short attention span of the media I shall not be holding my breath.
What we then had was the rest of the local broadcast media acting like a pack of lemmings with BBC and ITV camera crews and reporters running around the Square trying to get interviews with anyone who appeared to be interested in talking to them and even filming a couple of the local youth sitting on a bench. All followed the Fadsio Devon 'picture postcard' line with no real analysis or understanding of the fact that most of the events that led to the imposition of yje dispersal order in the first place, are little different then events that have been paty of the life of communities like Silverton for decades, if not centuaries. Given that the order has been in place for weeks and that the anti social incidents had dried up, this was a classiv non story blown up to fill in the space on the news programmes on a 'slacj news day'. This was all but admitted in an echange of eMails between Sue Banks, of this parish, and Mark Tyler, the owner of Radio Exe on Facebook the day following.
A few things come to mind arising from this situation. The Silverton story was an example of journalism at its laziest and worst. A non story was inflated to fill in a few minutes on a news programme without any of the media outlets involved being inclined to find an original angle. If they can cover a story like the Silverton dispersal order in this fashion, how many other, more serious stories, get treated in the same manner. Additionally, an issue within the village which most had thought was in the process of being resolved, has now been stirred up again to no ones benefit and there is no doubt the belief in the South West generally that Silverton is now one of the crime capitals of Devon.
One can only hope that the media will give as much attention to the ongoing work being done in the village to deal with the underlying problems that led to the imposition of the dispersal order in the first place, but giben the notoriously short attention span of the media I shall not be holding my breath.
Saturday, 3 March 2012
Andrew 'Lux' Luckham 1963-2012
Alyhough he was only 48, Andrew 'Lux' Luckham, who died as a result of a motorcycle accident at Offwell on February 26th, seemed to have been part of the Silverton scene for ever. 'Lux', as he was known to all, was brought up in Silverton by his parents, Ray and Jean Luckham, along with his sidter, Angela, , and attended Silverton Primary School and Broadclyst Community College. after leaving school he worked mainly in the construction industry and had been working in the Chard area at the time of his death.
'Lux' had two som's, Karl and Dean, from his marraige to Sharon Pitts (now Parry) but after the break up of his marraige moved around the mid Devon are quiye frequently, whilst retaining close links with Silverton. He also lived, for a short time in Portugal. Recently he had been living in the Cullompton area.
I first came across 'Lix' in the early 1980s when he was part of a group of young bikers who hung out in The New Inn, now The Silverton Inn. It was at this time, November 1981, that 'Lux' tried to save his friend, Mark Trebble, who had been critically injured in a motorcycle on School Road, Sadly, Mark sied in hospital the same night, but 'Lux' recieved an award for his actions on that evening from the Chief Constable of the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary.
As a life long nenber of the motorcycling community 'Lux' became known throughout the westcountry and well beyond, liked and respected by all who knew him in that world. It is perhaps fitting that he died as he would probably have wanted, taking part in a bike run with his mates.
'Lux' will be best remembered in Silverton as a gentle giant with a dry, but sometimes wicked, sense of humour who was a friend to all. He will be remembered by many as a regular, in recent years, at The Lamb Inn and indeed, was in The Lamb Inn with his current partner, Sharon Jones, on the afternoon before he died.
It was quite usual to hear people in The Lamb at the weekends asking if 'Lux' was likely to be in. Sadly, he will be in no more. We know, however that although he may well be no longer physically there with us he is with us in spirit. hopefully, all who can, will be raising a glass to him in The Lamb after the Funeral next friday.
We send out condolences to his Mother, Jean, Sister, Angela, sons Karl and Dean, partner, Sharon Jones and all his many friends and aquaintances everywhere, He leaves a big gap, but will always be remembered by those who knew him. RIP.
'Lux' had two som's, Karl and Dean, from his marraige to Sharon Pitts (now Parry) but after the break up of his marraige moved around the mid Devon are quiye frequently, whilst retaining close links with Silverton. He also lived, for a short time in Portugal. Recently he had been living in the Cullompton area.
I first came across 'Lix' in the early 1980s when he was part of a group of young bikers who hung out in The New Inn, now The Silverton Inn. It was at this time, November 1981, that 'Lux' tried to save his friend, Mark Trebble, who had been critically injured in a motorcycle on School Road, Sadly, Mark sied in hospital the same night, but 'Lux' recieved an award for his actions on that evening from the Chief Constable of the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary.
As a life long nenber of the motorcycling community 'Lux' became known throughout the westcountry and well beyond, liked and respected by all who knew him in that world. It is perhaps fitting that he died as he would probably have wanted, taking part in a bike run with his mates.
'Lux' will be best remembered in Silverton as a gentle giant with a dry, but sometimes wicked, sense of humour who was a friend to all. He will be remembered by many as a regular, in recent years, at The Lamb Inn and indeed, was in The Lamb Inn with his current partner, Sharon Jones, on the afternoon before he died.
It was quite usual to hear people in The Lamb at the weekends asking if 'Lux' was likely to be in. Sadly, he will be in no more. We know, however that although he may well be no longer physically there with us he is with us in spirit. hopefully, all who can, will be raising a glass to him in The Lamb after the Funeral next friday.
We send out condolences to his Mother, Jean, Sister, Angela, sons Karl and Dean, partner, Sharon Jones and all his many friends and aquaintances everywhere, He leaves a big gap, but will always be remembered by those who knew him. RIP.
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Poll Result
As you will see the result of the poll on dispersal orders resulted in a victory for the supporters of the orders.
Only 12 people took part in the poll out of a population of the village ofabout 2,000. Its also true that, ubfortunately, you have to subscribe to Google to take part in polls on the blog, so, perhaps what the poll really tells us is that supporters of the dispersal orders are more likely to be Google suybscribers.
What that means is anyones guess.
Only 12 people took part in the poll out of a population of the village ofabout 2,000. Its also true that, ubfortunately, you have to subscribe to Google to take part in polls on the blog, so, perhaps what the poll really tells us is that supporters of the dispersal orders are more likely to be Google suybscribers.
What that means is anyones guess.
The Fire Next Time.
So oil prices are on the rise again as a consequence of Iran cutting off oil supplies to Britain and other western nations. Rising oil prices, whilst of course a concern to everyone have particular impacts in semi rural areas like ours in terms of rising fuel and transport costs but there are bigger issues ay syake here.
Iran cut off oil supplirs to a number of western countries because those countries had imposed sanctions on Iran because of the belief that Iran's nuclear programme is increasingly being geared towards the production of nuclear weapons. At the same time. Iran.s ally, Syria is becoming engulfed in a civil war between President Assad and his allies and a large segment of the Strian people who are increasingly recieving support from anti Assad forces from neyond Syria's borders ranging from Israel and the USA to Saudi Arabia and Al Quesa.
What we are seeing in Syria seems to me to be the beginning of a new middle east war with a range of forces, dstensibly opposed to the Assad regime, but whose real target is Iran. This is a war at the moment being fought through proxies but that stage will inexitably end when Israel bombs Iran's nuclear facilities. Either before or after this Britain and its european allies will enter the fray and the resulting conflict will make Iraq and Afghanistan look like a playground fight at a primary school.
If this analtsys is anywhere near correct, a few pence on a litre of diesel may be the least of our worries.
Iran cut off oil supplirs to a number of western countries because those countries had imposed sanctions on Iran because of the belief that Iran's nuclear programme is increasingly being geared towards the production of nuclear weapons. At the same time. Iran.s ally, Syria is becoming engulfed in a civil war between President Assad and his allies and a large segment of the Strian people who are increasingly recieving support from anti Assad forces from neyond Syria's borders ranging from Israel and the USA to Saudi Arabia and Al Quesa.
What we are seeing in Syria seems to me to be the beginning of a new middle east war with a range of forces, dstensibly opposed to the Assad regime, but whose real target is Iran. This is a war at the moment being fought through proxies but that stage will inexitably end when Israel bombs Iran's nuclear facilities. Either before or after this Britain and its european allies will enter the fray and the resulting conflict will make Iraq and Afghanistan look like a playground fight at a primary school.
If this analtsys is anywhere near correct, a few pence on a litre of diesel may be the least of our worries.
Monday, 20 February 2012
AS SOON AS THIS PUB CLOSES/
I promise that this will ne the last post on the subject of pubs for a while, but one explanation for what seems to be manym to be the state's war on pibs is that, if people are discouraged from going to pubs , it removes an area of public life where people can gather and agitate against government policies.
Although this is an attractive idea to the conspicy minded, I have yet to see any evidence that pubs are hotbeds of subversion, Certainly, in the 70s and onwards I remember pubs with a left wing clientele in most of the big cities that I visired, less time was spent p[lotting to advance the final overthrow of capitalism then listening to endless rows about the relevance, or otherwise, of Trotsky;s Transitional Programme anongst the 57 varieties of followers of 'The Old Man' or, whether Tony Cliff was right in describing the soviet union as state capitalist rather then communist,
Historically , the real subversive activity in Britain through the 18th and 19th centuries went on in the coffee houses through groups like the London Corresponding Society and and The Chartists and whilst its true that Karl Marx spent a good deal of time in London pubs he was there for the beer rather then for the revolution. Its also worth remembering that large parts of the emerging socialist movement were militantly teetotal.
So, rather then the government persecuting pubs for political reasons I suspect that their agents are spending their time in the likes of Costa Coffee and Starbucks, drinking overpriced Latte and playing 'Spot The Subversive'.
Although this is an attractive idea to the conspicy minded, I have yet to see any evidence that pubs are hotbeds of subversion, Certainly, in the 70s and onwards I remember pubs with a left wing clientele in most of the big cities that I visired, less time was spent p[lotting to advance the final overthrow of capitalism then listening to endless rows about the relevance, or otherwise, of Trotsky;s Transitional Programme anongst the 57 varieties of followers of 'The Old Man' or, whether Tony Cliff was right in describing the soviet union as state capitalist rather then communist,
Historically , the real subversive activity in Britain through the 18th and 19th centuries went on in the coffee houses through groups like the London Corresponding Society and and The Chartists and whilst its true that Karl Marx spent a good deal of time in London pubs he was there for the beer rather then for the revolution. Its also worth remembering that large parts of the emerging socialist movement were militantly teetotal.
So, rather then the government persecuting pubs for political reasons I suspect that their agents are spending their time in the likes of Costa Coffee and Starbucks, drinking overpriced Latte and playing 'Spot The Subversive'.
Closing Time.
Sorry to keep returning to the subject of drinking, but its difficult not to in a place like Silverton where the three pubs provide the main focus of social interaction.
Given that its generally accepted that a;cohol is a powerful and potentially dangerous drug, but that it has been an intehral part of most human societies, at least, since the beginnings of agriculture and that it use has been problematic in advanced societies, particularly in Britain over the past few centuries, you might think that a government might wish to make sure that its use was largely restricted to controlled envioronments and that it was not as easily and commonly available as a packet of crisps. Historically, this was indeed the position until the 1980s with booze onlt being available through the public house or the off Licence. With the rise of the supermarket chains and the deregulation of controls on the availability oof alcohol, the demon drink has now become a part of the weekly shopping basket on a scale not previously available to most working people with the supermarkets blatentlt using cheap booze as a majopr form of loss leader.
At the same time the public house, once the centre of much of the social life of Briyain, has increasingly found itself unable to cope due to the end of the tied house system, the inability to match the purchasing power of the supermarkets, increasingly severe licensing comditions and rocketing tax and utility bills. Also, more controversially, the ban on smoking has also taken its toll. the outcome has been widespread pub closures that in rural areas where the pib was a vital part of village life, a contributing factor to the devestation of many rural communities.
The present government has made much of creating the 'Big Society ' where people are encouragedto play an active part in their local communities. If government is serious about this intention, it needs to take active steps to protect and encourage the further existence and growth of the viyal part of Briyish life, the local pib. Sadly, until the politicians end their obsessive worship of 'the free market' and their dependence on donations from some of the supermarket chains its unlikely that the continued survival of the local public house will be assured.
Given that its generally accepted that a;cohol is a powerful and potentially dangerous drug, but that it has been an intehral part of most human societies, at least, since the beginnings of agriculture and that it use has been problematic in advanced societies, particularly in Britain over the past few centuries, you might think that a government might wish to make sure that its use was largely restricted to controlled envioronments and that it was not as easily and commonly available as a packet of crisps. Historically, this was indeed the position until the 1980s with booze onlt being available through the public house or the off Licence. With the rise of the supermarket chains and the deregulation of controls on the availability oof alcohol, the demon drink has now become a part of the weekly shopping basket on a scale not previously available to most working people with the supermarkets blatentlt using cheap booze as a majopr form of loss leader.
At the same time the public house, once the centre of much of the social life of Briyain, has increasingly found itself unable to cope due to the end of the tied house system, the inability to match the purchasing power of the supermarkets, increasingly severe licensing comditions and rocketing tax and utility bills. Also, more controversially, the ban on smoking has also taken its toll. the outcome has been widespread pub closures that in rural areas where the pib was a vital part of village life, a contributing factor to the devestation of many rural communities.
The present government has made much of creating the 'Big Society ' where people are encouragedto play an active part in their local communities. If government is serious about this intention, it needs to take active steps to protect and encourage the further existence and growth of the viyal part of Briyish life, the local pib. Sadly, until the politicians end their obsessive worship of 'the free market' and their dependence on donations from some of the supermarket chains its unlikely that the continued survival of the local public house will be assured.
Friday, 17 February 2012
The Great Drama Of Life.
Its the time of the year again when the Silverton Drama Group perform their annual gebruary show. This year it is a musical comedy entitled 'The Devil In Disguise'. that pokes gentle fun at the village and some of itsinstitutions.
Those who participate in The Drama Droup, and indeed those who watch the performances, get a good deal of enjoyment out of the shows but they are not for everyone. Not being attracted to stage performance, I would never wish to participate in one and I prefer film to stage as a medium of entertainment.
I prefer to watch the great drama of life in which, as William Shakespeare pointed out, we all play our parts. from birth to death we all play our part in the great drama of life which began long before we weere born and will end, hopefylly, long after we have left the stage. There is no script and we probably never know for sure whether our parts were as stars, supporting cast, walk ons or extras. If there is an audience we never hear their boos or applause and any director there may be gives us no precise instructions.
And when we leave the stage yhjere are no curtain calls.
Those who participate in The Drama Droup, and indeed those who watch the performances, get a good deal of enjoyment out of the shows but they are not for everyone. Not being attracted to stage performance, I would never wish to participate in one and I prefer film to stage as a medium of entertainment.
I prefer to watch the great drama of life in which, as William Shakespeare pointed out, we all play our parts. from birth to death we all play our part in the great drama of life which began long before we weere born and will end, hopefylly, long after we have left the stage. There is no script and we probably never know for sure whether our parts were as stars, supporting cast, walk ons or extras. If there is an audience we never hear their boos or applause and any director there may be gives us no precise instructions.
And when we leave the stage yhjere are no curtain calls.
Thursday, 16 February 2012
International
Nice to see that this blog is attracting occasional readers from beyond the UK. Its nice to know that events in a small Devon village attract some interest beyond these shores. So lets say a big hello to our occasional followers in Germany, Latvia, Russia, The United States, Canada and Brazil. You should al pop over for street market in August. I am sure you would all be welcome.
More Drinking Matters.
While on the subject of drink and its consequences, I believe that one measure being considered by government is an extra charge on bars and clubs that stay open after midnight in order to cover the extra expense incurred by local authorities in order to clean up and repair damage caused by late night revellers. One can see a certain logic to this when applied in the major towns and cities, but, if its applied more generally, why should licebsed premesis in places like Silverton where late night mess is non existant to minimal be forced to pay an added tax ?.
We all know what one of the main causes of late night drunken disturbances is, namely, the habit of people 'preloading' on cheap booze bought from the supermarkets and consumed before they even get to the pub or clib. perhaps, therefore, government might consider an extra tax on supermarkets, but I wont hold my breath on it ever happening. One thing is for certain, there was a lot less public drunkenness and underage drinking when the only outlets for the sale of alcohol were off Licenses and the local pub.
We all know what one of the main causes of late night drunken disturbances is, namely, the habit of people 'preloading' on cheap booze bought from the supermarkets and consumed before they even get to the pub or clib. perhaps, therefore, government might consider an extra tax on supermarkets, but I wont hold my breath on it ever happening. One thing is for certain, there was a lot less public drunkenness and underage drinking when the only outlets for the sale of alcohol were off Licenses and the local pub.
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Drunk And Disorderly.
David Cameron, in his wisdom, has decided that its time to tackle the problem of public drunkeness. I assume. that like the rest of us he has been watching telly documentaries that feature half naked young women throwing up and performing blow jobs in the bushes whilst their ,ale counterparts kicj the crap out of their matrs for chatting up women they regard as their property or attempting to batter unfortunate health workers in A&E departments because they dont get seen quickly enough.
Cameron's answer to the problem is, as usual, to turn to the USA for answers, notably yje introduction of 'Drunk Tanks' where the pissed can be left to sober up overnight and more police in A&e units, although wgere these extra coppers will come from at a time when police numbers are being cut is another matter. Then there is minimum pricing per unit of alcohol but I ssuspect that the drinks industry, still a major contributor to Tory party funds may well have serious objections to that idea.
Perhaps its too much to expect that Cameron might give some consideration to the factors that make so many working people want to get shit faced from time to time. Overwork, over taxed and underpaid in insecure jobs with the invreasing certainty that they will have to work until they drop may well ne motivating factoes in their desire to blot it all out.
And, you mihjt wonder why the police just dont use the old charges of Drunk and Disorderly or Breach Of The Peace to deal with those who make a public nuiscence of thenselves whilst plastered. The reason, I suspect, is that too many charges and court appearences would push up the crime figures, something that no political party wants on their record come election time, Better to throw the culprits in the ;Drunk Tank' overnight, sober them up, kick them out and get a few cleaners on the minimum wage to mop up the vomit the day after.
Cameron's answer to the problem is, as usual, to turn to the USA for answers, notably yje introduction of 'Drunk Tanks' where the pissed can be left to sober up overnight and more police in A&e units, although wgere these extra coppers will come from at a time when police numbers are being cut is another matter. Then there is minimum pricing per unit of alcohol but I ssuspect that the drinks industry, still a major contributor to Tory party funds may well have serious objections to that idea.
Perhaps its too much to expect that Cameron might give some consideration to the factors that make so many working people want to get shit faced from time to time. Overwork, over taxed and underpaid in insecure jobs with the invreasing certainty that they will have to work until they drop may well ne motivating factoes in their desire to blot it all out.
And, you mihjt wonder why the police just dont use the old charges of Drunk and Disorderly or Breach Of The Peace to deal with those who make a public nuiscence of thenselves whilst plastered. The reason, I suspect, is that too many charges and court appearences would push up the crime figures, something that no political party wants on their record come election time, Better to throw the culprits in the ;Drunk Tank' overnight, sober them up, kick them out and get a few cleaners on the minimum wage to mop up the vomit the day after.
My Bloody Valentine.
It was good to see at least, a few people turning out for the alternative Valentines Night Indian Banquet at The Lamb
last night. Those who attended had a good meal in pleasant surroundings without a rose or a guitar player in sight. From what I hear, nany others preferred to avoid the overpriced, faux romantic fayre provided by other establishments for more individual ways of spending the festival of love, which in one case involved going to the cinema to see a new version pf one of the Star Wars films in 3D. Hopefully, the card industry has also taken a beating and there is at last a backlash against their overpriced cards and the accompanying tat. Any decline in the commercial festival of excess that St Valentines Day has become at least has the effect of allowing those of us without 'that someone special' in our lives to feel a little less guilty about not being in a relationship.
last night. Those who attended had a good meal in pleasant surroundings without a rose or a guitar player in sight. From what I hear, nany others preferred to avoid the overpriced, faux romantic fayre provided by other establishments for more individual ways of spending the festival of love, which in one case involved going to the cinema to see a new version pf one of the Star Wars films in 3D. Hopefully, the card industry has also taken a beating and there is at last a backlash against their overpriced cards and the accompanying tat. Any decline in the commercial festival of excess that St Valentines Day has become at least has the effect of allowing those of us without 'that someone special' in our lives to feel a little less guilty about not being in a relationship.
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Dispersal Order.
The introduction of a dispersal order for the village by the police seems to be causing a considerable degree of controversy. A number of posts on the What's On In Silverton ?. Facebook page have attacked the order as being unesserily restrictive on the social life of younger people within the village. On the uther hand, when the matter was raised at the January meeting of the Parish Council no one spoke against it and in conversations since, quite a number of people still seem to be in favour of the move.
In order to get some idea of opinion before the public meeting on the issues around anti social behaviour and potential remedies to be held on march 6th, I have set up a poll on this site on the dispersal order issue. Closing date 21/02/12.
In order to get some idea of opinion before the public meeting on the issues around anti social behaviour and potential remedies to be held on march 6th, I have set up a poll on this site on the dispersal order issue. Closing date 21/02/12.
Friday, 10 February 2012
Boy Racers
Someone I know, lost a beloved prt vat under the wheels of a speeding motorist on Coach Road Road the other night. I know that cats are not everyones favorite animals wirg rgeir tendanct ro dig up gardens and slaughter birds and snall animals, but to their owners they are often part of the family.
The problem is, that some drivers seem unable to see a reasonably straight piece of road, even in an urban area, without having to put their foot on the accelerator, seemingly engaging in the fantasy that they are at Le Mons or Brands Hatch. Personally, I suspect that too much exposure to computer games and the likes of 'Top Gear' have a lot to answer for.
Sadly, , one day, it may well not be someones beloved pet cat that comes to a sudden end on Coach or Wyndham roads but a small child, the consequenses of which would scar the lives of the victims fanily and the perpetrator for the rest of their existence, Before this happens I suspect that the introduction of speed humps and a 20mph speed limit are likely to become part of village life.
The problem is, that some drivers seem unable to see a reasonably straight piece of road, even in an urban area, without having to put their foot on the accelerator, seemingly engaging in the fantasy that they are at Le Mons or Brands Hatch. Personally, I suspect that too much exposure to computer games and the likes of 'Top Gear' have a lot to answer for.
Sadly, , one day, it may well not be someones beloved pet cat that comes to a sudden end on Coach or Wyndham roads but a small child, the consequenses of which would scar the lives of the victims fanily and the perpetrator for the rest of their existence, Before this happens I suspect that the introduction of speed humps and a 20mph speed limit are likely to become part of village life.
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Parish Matters
Fust a brief note on last nights parish council meeting. Genny Roach reported that the request for dispersal orders to counter anti social behaviour in the village have now bbeeb granted. I regard the fact that such an order has now been granted hufglights a failure by the community to resolve its intergenerational ptoblems and it is to be hpoped that the more positive atmosphere currently existing around the issues will mean that the dispersal orders have a short shelf life. Hopefully, things can be progressed further throufg the public meeting due in early march although the fact that no members of the public attended the meeting last night to discuss the issues mwans that there is still work to do.
The council also voted to contribute money towards a street partyfor the forthcoming diamond jubilee 'celebrations'. As a life long republican I shall be taking no part in the proceedings, or anything to do with the beacon at Christ Cross. I still hold to the view that if if the village wants a party they would be better organising an annual St Georges Day event.
The council also voted to contribute money towards a street partyfor the forthcoming diamond jubilee 'celebrations'. As a life long republican I shall be taking no part in the proceedings, or anything to do with the beacon at Christ Cross. I still hold to the view that if if the village wants a party they would be better organising an annual St Georges Day event.
Monday, 6 February 2012
Coming Soon
I am currently working on some rather more serious posts including one on the war on drugs in a local context and on social housing. As I also have some personal business and parish council documents to read, the blog may not update for a day or two.
Sunday, 5 February 2012
Balls.
It that time of year again, when the england rugby shirts come out of the attic and the sales of Guimmess in the pub take a sudden jump. Tes, its six nayion time again and the Lamb was predictably busy yesterday for England's first outing of the contest which resulted in a victory over scotland in The Calcutta Cup, played at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.
I noticed yesterday, that quite a few of those who turn up in the pub when the game is onm, dont actually watch the match, but spend the entire proceedings chatting to their mates, only taking time out from chatting and drinking to cheer in the appropriate places when their team scores. When I lived in Prestwick we had the even more interesting phenomena of Welsh rugby fans who came from wales, booked in at a local hotel, and watched the Scotland v Wales game at Murrayfield on the TV in our local pub, The Toll Bar. Why anyone would want to go all the way from wales to scotland, to watch a rugby game being played seventy miles away on Tv when you could see the same game in the comfort of your own local, is beyond me, but , that like those in The Lamb, who turn up when the match is on but dont watch it, I suppose thar a sense of group solidarity and a sense of occasion is the point of the exercise.
I noticed yesterday, that quite a few of those who turn up in the pub when the game is onm, dont actually watch the match, but spend the entire proceedings chatting to their mates, only taking time out from chatting and drinking to cheer in the appropriate places when their team scores. When I lived in Prestwick we had the even more interesting phenomena of Welsh rugby fans who came from wales, booked in at a local hotel, and watched the Scotland v Wales game at Murrayfield on the TV in our local pub, The Toll Bar. Why anyone would want to go all the way from wales to scotland, to watch a rugby game being played seventy miles away on Tv when you could see the same game in the comfort of your own local, is beyond me, but , that like those in The Lamb, who turn up when the match is on but dont watch it, I suppose thar a sense of group solidarity and a sense of occasion is the point of the exercise.
Friday, 3 February 2012
Going Underground.
There was mention in the post about the New Hal of my gran's friend, Lil Andrews. Lil was a well known local character who, when I was very young in the 1950s, occupied one of the redbrick corrages in the High Street along with her son, Ralph 'Sailor' Andrews, a former mariner, One day Lil was unfortunate enough to kose her false teeth down the loo and, in an effort to recover them, 'Sailor' excavated the sewage outflow pipe in the garden.
Luckily for all concerned his efforts were in vain and a new set of dentures had to be purchased.
Luckily for all concerned his efforts were in vain and a new set of dentures had to be purchased.
The New Hall.
I was reminded the other day, that to many newer Silvertonians, The New Hall is little more then just a name and some are not even sure where it was located. I thought therefore, that it might be worth posting something about the Hall and some of what went on there, without getting too sidetracked with the controversy that surrounded its clusure in the late eighties, a matter that may well be worth a post in itself on another occasion,
What was known as The New Hall was in fact, two buildings that stood on what is now the vacant plot opposite The Silverton Inn. The building that faced directly onto Fore Street was the older building, probably a couple of hundred years old at its demolition, that was known toolder villagers as 'The Audit Rooms'. This was a two storey, yellow plastered building that you entered via a passage which had two meeting rooms one on either side near the main entrance. besises meetings of the parish council and other bodies, the rooms were also used for whist drives and bingo, My earliest memories of whist drives in the neeting rooms was when my grandmother, Mabel Rutland (1892-1981) ran weekly whist drives there on a friday night in the 1950s and early 60s. If you ventured into the room during these events it would be through a thick haze of tobacco smoje and you would see the likes of mt gran and her pals such as Lil Andrews, Kate Warren and Mary Sutton playing their cards and exchanging the village gossip of the day. All were characters worthy of blogposts in their own right,
Beyond thge meeting roos, on yhe right hand side, was a kitchen and around a sharp left had cornerm werre the stairs to the upper floor and also the lobby that led to the New Hall proper and toilets.
The upper floor of the old building consisted of one long room that had been used for the village dances prior to the construction of the New Hall proper in 1928. Wnen I was young the upper room was used by The Mens Club and contained two full sized snooker tables which remained there until the building was demolished. As far as I know the tables were then removed to The Silverton Mill Social Club but I dont know what became of them after the closure of the mill and the club. After The Mens Club folded the room was used by the Boy Scouts and The Silverton Youth Clun of the late sixties, I believe it was still osed by youth organisations in the seventies and eighries.
Back downstairs and rgeough the lobby you entered The New Hall proper, This consisted of a long room with a substantial stage and changing facilities at one end. The building had been opened in 1928 and donated to the village by The Reed and Smith paper company, then owners of The Silverton and Stoke Canon paper mills. The Mew Hall was the main venue for dances, concerts and plays and frequent jumble sales. When young, I can well remember the concerts which featured our local performers, although I doubt if any of them would have made it to 'Britain's Got Talent'. I am sure that Silvertonians of a certain age, will never forget Flor Vittles performing the 1950s hit 'Tom Dooley' complete with noose or the rendition of 'Danny Bot' by Sid Hutchings accompanied by the reverend Guy Sanderson on piano, who later became Bishop Of Plymouth.
Other highlights of the hall, that I can remember, were The Twist Club of the early 1960s Where the teenagers of that period twisted the night away to the sounds of Tim Tree and The Thunderbirds A shadows inspired local band and later in the decade The Silverton Youth Club events of which I was a part. The Royal British Legion also held their dances there before the advent of The British Legion Club, and of course, there were the hunt balls but they were not something that many of the local youth participated in. In the eighties the hall was the venue for performances by the much loved, and missed, Silverton Players who produced a series of well suppported pantomimes.
The New Hall and The Audit Rooms played a large part in the history of the village and pieces of history could be found in the halls from the plates marked as the one time property of The Silverton Temperence Society that were to be found in the kitchen, to the paintings of Lucy ward that were rescued when the hall was demolished to parish records that were found in an old cupboard. I suspect it will ne a long time before yje Community Hall gains the same place in the affections of the people of Silverton as The New Hall and The Audit Rooms gained over the generations.
What was known as The New Hall was in fact, two buildings that stood on what is now the vacant plot opposite The Silverton Inn. The building that faced directly onto Fore Street was the older building, probably a couple of hundred years old at its demolition, that was known toolder villagers as 'The Audit Rooms'. This was a two storey, yellow plastered building that you entered via a passage which had two meeting rooms one on either side near the main entrance. besises meetings of the parish council and other bodies, the rooms were also used for whist drives and bingo, My earliest memories of whist drives in the neeting rooms was when my grandmother, Mabel Rutland (1892-1981) ran weekly whist drives there on a friday night in the 1950s and early 60s. If you ventured into the room during these events it would be through a thick haze of tobacco smoje and you would see the likes of mt gran and her pals such as Lil Andrews, Kate Warren and Mary Sutton playing their cards and exchanging the village gossip of the day. All were characters worthy of blogposts in their own right,
Beyond thge meeting roos, on yhe right hand side, was a kitchen and around a sharp left had cornerm werre the stairs to the upper floor and also the lobby that led to the New Hall proper and toilets.
The upper floor of the old building consisted of one long room that had been used for the village dances prior to the construction of the New Hall proper in 1928. Wnen I was young the upper room was used by The Mens Club and contained two full sized snooker tables which remained there until the building was demolished. As far as I know the tables were then removed to The Silverton Mill Social Club but I dont know what became of them after the closure of the mill and the club. After The Mens Club folded the room was used by the Boy Scouts and The Silverton Youth Clun of the late sixties, I believe it was still osed by youth organisations in the seventies and eighries.
Back downstairs and rgeough the lobby you entered The New Hall proper, This consisted of a long room with a substantial stage and changing facilities at one end. The building had been opened in 1928 and donated to the village by The Reed and Smith paper company, then owners of The Silverton and Stoke Canon paper mills. The Mew Hall was the main venue for dances, concerts and plays and frequent jumble sales. When young, I can well remember the concerts which featured our local performers, although I doubt if any of them would have made it to 'Britain's Got Talent'. I am sure that Silvertonians of a certain age, will never forget Flor Vittles performing the 1950s hit 'Tom Dooley' complete with noose or the rendition of 'Danny Bot' by Sid Hutchings accompanied by the reverend Guy Sanderson on piano, who later became Bishop Of Plymouth.
Other highlights of the hall, that I can remember, were The Twist Club of the early 1960s Where the teenagers of that period twisted the night away to the sounds of Tim Tree and The Thunderbirds A shadows inspired local band and later in the decade The Silverton Youth Club events of which I was a part. The Royal British Legion also held their dances there before the advent of The British Legion Club, and of course, there were the hunt balls but they were not something that many of the local youth participated in. In the eighties the hall was the venue for performances by the much loved, and missed, Silverton Players who produced a series of well suppported pantomimes.
The New Hall and The Audit Rooms played a large part in the history of the village and pieces of history could be found in the halls from the plates marked as the one time property of The Silverton Temperence Society that were to be found in the kitchen, to the paintings of Lucy ward that were rescued when the hall was demolished to parish records that were found in an old cupboard. I suspect it will ne a long time before yje Community Hall gains the same place in the affections of the people of Silverton as The New Hall and The Audit Rooms gained over the generations.
Lying In The Gutter, Staring At The Stars.
During the second world war, whilst on leave from active service in Italy, my late father was walking up Fore Street in the blackout when a Liftwaffe pilot, presumably on his way home after a raid on Exeter or Plymouth, decided to lighten his load by dropping a bomb on yjr hill brhind Livingshayes Ruad where the remains of the crater could still be seen when I was young. My father, having had long experience under enemy attack, dived for the ground and ended up in what the more polite Silvertonians refer to as ' The Leat', but what we older villagers know as 'The Gutter'.
It reminds us of the perils that may await should the energy saving device of turning off the street lights at midnight ever comes to the village The danger now, with late pub closing times, would not be from falling German bombs but more likely from one too many Jaegerbombs.
It reminds us of the perils that may await should the energy saving device of turning off the street lights at midnight ever comes to the village The danger now, with late pub closing times, would not be from falling German bombs but more likely from one too many Jaegerbombs.
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Fear And Loathing In Silverton
Its now nearly three years since the great travellers site panic gripped the village when a family of new age travellers sought permission to establish a permanent site at Oak Lane in order to pursue their business which revolved around providing facilities for festivalgoers aas I recall. The village talked of nothing else for weeks and anonymous leaflets were circulated issuinf dire warnings about the possibility of drugs being brought into the primary school amongst other things. The panic culminated in the biggrst public meeting the village had seen in years where there was massive opposition to the planned devolopment.
In the end, the planning application was withdrawn, resubmitted and eventually rejected. The travellers continued to have a trucj on the land they owned and, despite some occasional grumbligs from their immediate neighbour village life returned to normal.
All this was centred well outside the village itself but I await with interest to see what would happen if some other perceived threat came on the scens, Inevitably, one day, we shall have a practising Muslim family move into the village and I wonder how long it woukd be before we have anonymous l;eaflets doing the rounds speculating about a mosque being built on the hall site, The parish Council being replaced by a sharia court and the possibility of classes for suicide bombers being held in The Dorothy Grainger Room. We should probably have the local readers of The Daily Star setting up a branch of The English Defence League as that publication seems to give that particular brand of scum uncritical coverage.
What all this tells us is that pleasent villages like Silverton have an unfortunate tendenct ro attract people with a deep fear of a changing world and a wish to return to an agr of simple certainties. Luckily, we still have a majority still able to keep a sense of perspective about such matters.
In the end, the planning application was withdrawn, resubmitted and eventually rejected. The travellers continued to have a trucj on the land they owned and, despite some occasional grumbligs from their immediate neighbour village life returned to normal.
All this was centred well outside the village itself but I await with interest to see what would happen if some other perceived threat came on the scens, Inevitably, one day, we shall have a practising Muslim family move into the village and I wonder how long it woukd be before we have anonymous l;eaflets doing the rounds speculating about a mosque being built on the hall site, The parish Council being replaced by a sharia court and the possibility of classes for suicide bombers being held in The Dorothy Grainger Room. We should probably have the local readers of The Daily Star setting up a branch of The English Defence League as that publication seems to give that particular brand of scum uncritical coverage.
What all this tells us is that pleasent villages like Silverton have an unfortunate tendenct ro attract people with a deep fear of a changing world and a wish to return to an agr of simple certainties. Luckily, we still have a majority still able to keep a sense of perspective about such matters.
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
Principled Stand.
I was glad to receive the leaflet recently distributed byCouncillor Jenny Roach in which she explains her reasons for rejecting the recent increase of 23% in councillors allowances recently voted through by Mid Devon District Council. At a time when ordinary working people are facing massive increases in utility bills and benefit cuts it beggers belief that a group of people , few of whom could be described as poor could decide to award themselves a rise of such magnitude, especially when other areas of local government are facing savage cuts in their budgets. Its good to see someone taking a principled stand on such matters.
Too oftenn these days, it would seem that too many get involved in politics both local and national, for reasons of immediate personal gain, or to gain future advancement. It often seems that the party that they commit themselves to is irrevelant as long as it gets them what they want and principles and idealogy are a long way second, This seems to have become more acute the more the three main parties have sought to occupy the same political ground.
Its always good therefore to read of those who spent a lifetime trying to promote the principles that they lived by usually at no personal gain, often at personal loss. Such lives are often recorded in the obituries written by my old internet colleague, Mick Hall on his blog Organised Rage,
http://www,organisedrage.com
Mick writes from a political perspective which probably is not shared by many who read this blog. Mick writes from the perspective of a lifelong trade unionist, socialist activist and internationalist with a particular interest in Irish republicanism and the middle east, particularly Turkey. The people that Mick records in his obituries are often trade union, community and political activists of the type who never recieve, and would indeed reject honours, and are often only rememberd by their former comrades or those they represented. People of principle used to be present across the political spectrum, sadly, howefer they seem to be fading into history.
Too oftenn these days, it would seem that too many get involved in politics both local and national, for reasons of immediate personal gain, or to gain future advancement. It often seems that the party that they commit themselves to is irrevelant as long as it gets them what they want and principles and idealogy are a long way second, This seems to have become more acute the more the three main parties have sought to occupy the same political ground.
Its always good therefore to read of those who spent a lifetime trying to promote the principles that they lived by usually at no personal gain, often at personal loss. Such lives are often recorded in the obituries written by my old internet colleague, Mick Hall on his blog Organised Rage,
http://www,organisedrage.com
Mick writes from a political perspective which probably is not shared by many who read this blog. Mick writes from the perspective of a lifelong trade unionist, socialist activist and internationalist with a particular interest in Irish republicanism and the middle east, particularly Turkey. The people that Mick records in his obituries are often trade union, community and political activists of the type who never recieve, and would indeed reject honours, and are often only rememberd by their former comrades or those they represented. People of principle used to be present across the political spectrum, sadly, howefer they seem to be fading into history.
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Silverton Drinks And Goes Home.
In the dim and distant nineteen seventies, that lost era of flares, dodgy moustaches and The Brotherhood Of Man, The pubs closed at ten thirty PM in the week and Ten o clock on sundays, Closing times were usually strictlt enforced and most of us from the council estate end of the village left at the same time. Given that we were mainly male and young and had consumed a few pints of Lager or Whitbread Trophy, once we got outside the pub there was always the temptation to burst into song,Given that this was the era of Rod Stewert we had those anongst us who fancied themselves as the tartan clad one asthey made tthier way down School Road with the appropriate comfort stop at the urinal that was then located behind Brady's Garage, Unless diverted into the output of The Wurzels first LP, as one person ofren strangely was, 'Rod The Mod was first choice.
Sadly, however, one of the Stewert enthusiasts eventually came unstuck when he carried his passion beyond the post pub singsong. After several pints at a dance in the New Hall he pursuaded the band that was playing that night that he could perform the Jimi Hendrix and Rod Stewert classic 'Angel' ' on stage, As it turned out, when his moment came, he could remember nothing of the song beyond the title.
Abd so ended another promising musical career.
Sadly, however, one of the Stewert enthusiasts eventually came unstuck when he carried his passion beyond the post pub singsong. After several pints at a dance in the New Hall he pursuaded the band that was playing that night that he could perform the Jimi Hendrix and Rod Stewert classic 'Angel' ' on stage, As it turned out, when his moment came, he could remember nothing of the song beyond the title.
Abd so ended another promising musical career.
Beware Of Old Men With Sticks.
Back in the day, mid seventies or so, by a sort of unspoken, but amicable arrangement, the youth of the village would occupy the bus shelter ny night and the uld men of the parish would occupi the public seat, at that time situated on the Londis side of the bus shelter during the day. The old blokes would spend their days, until the grim reaper came to call, watching the comings and goings on the Square and Fore Street and comparing notes about their gardens, I have been told however by a woman who was young at the time that another of their forms of entertainment was to flick up the skirts of girls who got off the school bus with their walkingsticks, if the girls were unwise enough to get too close to them.
Such behaviour today would have almost certainly got them an entry on the sex offenders register and quite rightly so, but it goes to Show that all anti social behaviour is not the preserve of the young.
Beware old men with sticks.
Such behaviour today would have almost certainly got them an entry on the sex offenders register and quite rightly so, but it goes to Show that all anti social behaviour is not the preserve of the young.
Beware old men with sticks.
Goung To The Dogs.
Lying awake at about twenty to four this morning, I turned on the radio and chanced upon an item about the thirty three thousand year old skull of a sog that has been fouind in a cave on the continent. Given the difference in head shape and teeth distribution it is certain that this is rhe skull of what we night recognise as a dog rather then a wolf.
It would seem from this discovery that our hunter-gatherer ancestors were breeding dogs long nefore previously thought, in this case at the peak of the last ice age, It is odd to think that hunters and theit dogs may once have tracked their prey across the icy wastes that would have covered what now is Silverton.
It must have been a happier time for dog owners though. No need to carry a poop scoop and no £500 fines for those who failed to clean up after their furry pals and if your dog disappeared there would have been no dog warden or dog pound where you could locate them, it would be more likrely that they would have ended up asa snack for a passing bear, so no £100 charges for overnight stays. .
It would seem from this discovery that our hunter-gatherer ancestors were breeding dogs long nefore previously thought, in this case at the peak of the last ice age, It is odd to think that hunters and theit dogs may once have tracked their prey across the icy wastes that would have covered what now is Silverton.
It must have been a happier time for dog owners though. No need to carry a poop scoop and no £500 fines for those who failed to clean up after their furry pals and if your dog disappeared there would have been no dog warden or dog pound where you could locate them, it would be more likrely that they would have ended up asa snack for a passing bear, so no £100 charges for overnight stays. .
Get A Grip.
There has been, quite rightly, concern in the village about some incudents of anti social behaviour that have taken place in recent months, unfortunately it would seem that with a few people concern seems to be turning to something lije near hysteria with some considering leaving the village,
People need to keep a sense of proportion. Silverton does not exist in some sort of bubble cut off from the rest of the world, People here are subject tom exactly the same sort of pressures and problems that affect the rest of the country, or for that matter, the rest of western society. Every other community of a similar size has the same problems from here to Lands End and John O Groats Additionally, because of its geographical position between Exeter and Tiverton and its closeness to Cullompton, Silverton has always been ibfluenced by urban areas rather then have some more rural locations. Rven if you view Silverton as a rural location people involved in law enforcenent will often tell you that rural areas often have more entrenched problems regarding anti social problems bevause of lack of facilities for ypoung people and less access to funding from local and national government.
I can write about the history of anti social behaviour in Silverton from the point of view of someone who has seen a good deal of it for over half a century along with some close quarters observations of the consequences if social breakdown elsewhere in another part of the UK>
My earliest memories of vandalism and damage in the village go back to the 1950s when yje local Teddy Boys hung out in the bus shelter and every public seat in the village was vandalised along with most of the play equipment on the rec. I can remember, and took part in, the stone tgrowing battles that took place between the hids from the villagr proper and 'Lily Lake', ( now Coach Road, Livingshayes Roadm Oak Close and Hillcrest) that took p[lace in the Square and The Bury in the late 50s with some unlucky rnopugh to be captured by the other side, ending up tied to Gravestones in the Churchyard, I can remember railway detonators being exploded in the Square and, in the mid 60s, dances and discos being banned from the New Hall because of the recurrent fights and damage. We had then, as now, our notorious hooligans nost of whom are now respecyable grandparents. in the late 60s and 70s the Square was occupied by the Bikers who probablt annoyed half the village by roaring about the place on their machines night and day, and of course, there was always vandalism of one sort or another, Additionally, when some of the kids got older and mobed into the pubs there was still a degree of trouble and I can remember one unfortunate tenant of The New Inn( mow The Silverton Inn) lasting a fortnight before the pub was smashed up and he found it advisable to move on. That was in 1968.
I moved out of Silverton at the end of 1985 afyer the car park was built and I remember at that time, there weere reports of people being harrassed by youths that hung out on the seat that used to be opposite the public toilets which is why, I have heard, the seat was removed. I was not here a decade back when we had a wave of serious anti social and criminal activity when people were regularly abused in the Square, cars were stolen and burnt out and tyhere wrre a number of housebreakings, Nost people are aware of recent devolopements and I dont see the need to deal further with them here.
I think that the difference between the 1960s and now is in the changed nature and mahe up of the village. Half a century ago most people in the vullage worked in the paper mills or on the land and life was tougher and expectations lower. People may not have liked a lot of what went on but in a funnt sort of way, it was more accepted. Most of tyhe kids lived on the council estate and a good many were related so there was a sense that it was all in the family and, pf course, there was no easy access to alcohol and illegal drugs. Although there was a limited circulation of amphetemines on the Exeter club circuit by the mid 1960s, Cannabis did not appear in Silverton until the late 60s when Silverton became a popular area for students from Exeter University to rent property.
The real difference now though, is in the class makeup of yje village, The closure of the paper mill and the changed nature of employment generally has destroyed the cohesive working class base that underpinned much of village life, This has been accentuated by the sale of most of the council housing stock and the growth of the owner occupied estates, notably, most of Wyndham Road. Further, of course, you have the colonisation of much of the villabe by middle class professionals or by upwardly mobile sections of the Working class who have higher expectations of what the village should be then those who webt before them.
So, looking, as I was this morming, at the vandalism on the fence around the play area on the 'big rec' I was remiknde that, where this sort of activity is concerbed, rgere is indeed, nothing new under the sun. Whats is new in nthe past half century I think, neyond what I have akready detailed is the blurring of distinctions between the generations which means that respect has to be earned rather then be automativally expected due to age difference, Aksom you have the easy availability of drugs and alcohol which often contributes to anti social behaviour being more extreme then in the past.
The good news is that whilst people are less prepared to tolerate anti social behaviour in the village there are more people prepared to make positive changes to allieviate it. Rather then throwing up there hands in horror and moving on people can join the efforts to change behaviours for the better.
People need to keep a sense of proportion. Silverton does not exist in some sort of bubble cut off from the rest of the world, People here are subject tom exactly the same sort of pressures and problems that affect the rest of the country, or for that matter, the rest of western society. Every other community of a similar size has the same problems from here to Lands End and John O Groats Additionally, because of its geographical position between Exeter and Tiverton and its closeness to Cullompton, Silverton has always been ibfluenced by urban areas rather then have some more rural locations. Rven if you view Silverton as a rural location people involved in law enforcenent will often tell you that rural areas often have more entrenched problems regarding anti social problems bevause of lack of facilities for ypoung people and less access to funding from local and national government.
I can write about the history of anti social behaviour in Silverton from the point of view of someone who has seen a good deal of it for over half a century along with some close quarters observations of the consequences if social breakdown elsewhere in another part of the UK>
My earliest memories of vandalism and damage in the village go back to the 1950s when yje local Teddy Boys hung out in the bus shelter and every public seat in the village was vandalised along with most of the play equipment on the rec. I can remember, and took part in, the stone tgrowing battles that took place between the hids from the villagr proper and 'Lily Lake', ( now Coach Road, Livingshayes Roadm Oak Close and Hillcrest) that took p[lace in the Square and The Bury in the late 50s with some unlucky rnopugh to be captured by the other side, ending up tied to Gravestones in the Churchyard, I can remember railway detonators being exploded in the Square and, in the mid 60s, dances and discos being banned from the New Hall because of the recurrent fights and damage. We had then, as now, our notorious hooligans nost of whom are now respecyable grandparents. in the late 60s and 70s the Square was occupied by the Bikers who probablt annoyed half the village by roaring about the place on their machines night and day, and of course, there was always vandalism of one sort or another, Additionally, when some of the kids got older and mobed into the pubs there was still a degree of trouble and I can remember one unfortunate tenant of The New Inn( mow The Silverton Inn) lasting a fortnight before the pub was smashed up and he found it advisable to move on. That was in 1968.
I moved out of Silverton at the end of 1985 afyer the car park was built and I remember at that time, there weere reports of people being harrassed by youths that hung out on the seat that used to be opposite the public toilets which is why, I have heard, the seat was removed. I was not here a decade back when we had a wave of serious anti social and criminal activity when people were regularly abused in the Square, cars were stolen and burnt out and tyhere wrre a number of housebreakings, Nost people are aware of recent devolopements and I dont see the need to deal further with them here.
I think that the difference between the 1960s and now is in the changed nature and mahe up of the village. Half a century ago most people in the vullage worked in the paper mills or on the land and life was tougher and expectations lower. People may not have liked a lot of what went on but in a funnt sort of way, it was more accepted. Most of tyhe kids lived on the council estate and a good many were related so there was a sense that it was all in the family and, pf course, there was no easy access to alcohol and illegal drugs. Although there was a limited circulation of amphetemines on the Exeter club circuit by the mid 1960s, Cannabis did not appear in Silverton until the late 60s when Silverton became a popular area for students from Exeter University to rent property.
The real difference now though, is in the class makeup of yje village, The closure of the paper mill and the changed nature of employment generally has destroyed the cohesive working class base that underpinned much of village life, This has been accentuated by the sale of most of the council housing stock and the growth of the owner occupied estates, notably, most of Wyndham Road. Further, of course, you have the colonisation of much of the villabe by middle class professionals or by upwardly mobile sections of the Working class who have higher expectations of what the village should be then those who webt before them.
So, looking, as I was this morming, at the vandalism on the fence around the play area on the 'big rec' I was remiknde that, where this sort of activity is concerbed, rgere is indeed, nothing new under the sun. Whats is new in nthe past half century I think, neyond what I have akready detailed is the blurring of distinctions between the generations which means that respect has to be earned rather then be automativally expected due to age difference, Aksom you have the easy availability of drugs and alcohol which often contributes to anti social behaviour being more extreme then in the past.
The good news is that whilst people are less prepared to tolerate anti social behaviour in the village there are more people prepared to make positive changes to allieviate it. Rather then throwing up there hands in horror and moving on people can join the efforts to change behaviours for the better.
Saturday, 28 January 2012
Silverton Silly Sex Olympics.
As most will know, the theme for this years street market is to be 'Silly Olympics'. Whilst thinking about this I was reminded that there was, back in the 1960s a famous and controversial television play, written as I remember by the late Nigel Kneale of 'Quatermass and The Pit' fame, The thought came to me that combining the themes of silliness and sex in terms of the street market could produce some interesting results.
We could have The Community Band performing a medly of rugby songs on a variety of specially adapted sex toys in the square, the Silverton Miss Whiplash contest in the little rec and Lesbian mud wrestling on the old Hall site, Meanwhile there would be gay leapfrogging in the big rec and a tarts international team would take on all comers in a marathon in The Millenium Hall. Those who like bigger partners could be accomodated at The Three Tuns (Three Tuns ?. geddit ?.) And I am sure that visiting Welsh teams would feel quite at home at The Lamb Inn. Exe Valley Breweries would of course, be providing a special beer for the occasion called 'Viagra Falls'.
Undoubtedly a good day would be had by all, especially when rounded off by naked Tug O War..
We could have The Community Band performing a medly of rugby songs on a variety of specially adapted sex toys in the square, the Silverton Miss Whiplash contest in the little rec and Lesbian mud wrestling on the old Hall site, Meanwhile there would be gay leapfrogging in the big rec and a tarts international team would take on all comers in a marathon in The Millenium Hall. Those who like bigger partners could be accomodated at The Three Tuns (Three Tuns ?. geddit ?.) And I am sure that visiting Welsh teams would feel quite at home at The Lamb Inn. Exe Valley Breweries would of course, be providing a special beer for the occasion called 'Viagra Falls'.
Undoubtedly a good day would be had by all, especially when rounded off by naked Tug O War..
Friday, 27 January 2012
The Londis Building.
Plans have now been submitted to change the use of the old Londis store from a possible retail outlet to housing. If the plans are approved it will mean the end any possibility of retaining one of Silverton's most historic shops.
Okder residents will remember the Londisbuilding when it was Perrats, a general store of the 'Open All Hours' variety. At perrats you could get anything from paraffin to bacon to wallpaper, often next door to each other, and some people will remember when it was staffed by characters such asMr Dibsdale and Mark Skinner. When the Perrat family gave up the business, the shop went through a number of franchises including Vivo, SPAR and finally Londis before closing some four years ago.
The end of Londis is a reminder of the loss of retail outlets and businesses that have taken place during my lifetime. We have lostm as far as I can remember, French's general store and Brooks the baker in the High Street, Silverton Dairy and its shop and the butchers that was opposite. Henry Lewis, builders and undertakers, Thr coalyard that was behind 'Emmas Cottage'. Westerns (later James) butchers wgere the Post Office now is, Mrs Bowermans fruit and veg outlet which was in the rebricj house in the row opposite the post office at the Silverton Inn end. Ayshfords Garage and what came after next to the Silverton Inn, Bill and Pens flower shop and Images health club, Frankpitts Butchers and the butchers who succeeded them in the shop which is now incorperated into SPAR, as was Stradling's the Bakers and Goodwins Newsagents that succeeded it. Archie Tremletts Blacksmiths shop in Tiverton Road and its near neighbour, George Carpenters Barbers Shop and Btady's Garage which was in School Road, Mot to mention the various buisnessess that went through the barbers shop which was previously Cabbages and Kings. In addition, of course, we lost the British Legion Club. I expect that others could ass to the list.
All this, pf course, is related to the changed ways that we shop with supermarkets and the internet. what it reminds us is that we have to use what we have as much as possible be it the Post Office, SPAR the various hairdressers or the three pubs. particularly in these recessionary times the message really is 'Use it. or lose it'.
Okder residents will remember the Londisbuilding when it was Perrats, a general store of the 'Open All Hours' variety. At perrats you could get anything from paraffin to bacon to wallpaper, often next door to each other, and some people will remember when it was staffed by characters such asMr Dibsdale and Mark Skinner. When the Perrat family gave up the business, the shop went through a number of franchises including Vivo, SPAR and finally Londis before closing some four years ago.
The end of Londis is a reminder of the loss of retail outlets and businesses that have taken place during my lifetime. We have lostm as far as I can remember, French's general store and Brooks the baker in the High Street, Silverton Dairy and its shop and the butchers that was opposite. Henry Lewis, builders and undertakers, Thr coalyard that was behind 'Emmas Cottage'. Westerns (later James) butchers wgere the Post Office now is, Mrs Bowermans fruit and veg outlet which was in the rebricj house in the row opposite the post office at the Silverton Inn end. Ayshfords Garage and what came after next to the Silverton Inn, Bill and Pens flower shop and Images health club, Frankpitts Butchers and the butchers who succeeded them in the shop which is now incorperated into SPAR, as was Stradling's the Bakers and Goodwins Newsagents that succeeded it. Archie Tremletts Blacksmiths shop in Tiverton Road and its near neighbour, George Carpenters Barbers Shop and Btady's Garage which was in School Road, Mot to mention the various buisnessess that went through the barbers shop which was previously Cabbages and Kings. In addition, of course, we lost the British Legion Club. I expect that others could ass to the list.
All this, pf course, is related to the changed ways that we shop with supermarkets and the internet. what it reminds us is that we have to use what we have as much as possible be it the Post Office, SPAR the various hairdressers or the three pubs. particularly in these recessionary times the message really is 'Use it. or lose it'.
Thursday, 26 January 2012
This Blog
As readers will note irs a long time since this blog was updated. Partly. the laziness of this blogger is to blame,nut largelt, its purpose for existence,
Like its predecessor 'Silvertonia', its purpose was to commemt on life in Silverton and to provide a forum for the people of Silverton, and others with an interest in events in Silverton to express their views. Its now cliar that much of what this blog set out to achieve is now being carried on more effectivelt by the 'WHATS ON IN SILVERTON' Facebook page , Facebook having a greater reach, especially amongst younger generations. This blogger now regularly contributes to 'WHATS ON IN SILVERTON'.
This blog will not ne scrapped bur will instead be used where longer comments then the Facebook page allows. I would however urge those with a continuing interest in events in Silverton to regularly access the 'WHATS ON IN SILVERTON' page on Facebook
Like its predecessor 'Silvertonia', its purpose was to commemt on life in Silverton and to provide a forum for the people of Silverton, and others with an interest in events in Silverton to express their views. Its now cliar that much of what this blog set out to achieve is now being carried on more effectivelt by the 'WHATS ON IN SILVERTON' Facebook page , Facebook having a greater reach, especially amongst younger generations. This blogger now regularly contributes to 'WHATS ON IN SILVERTON'.
This blog will not ne scrapped bur will instead be used where longer comments then the Facebook page allows. I would however urge those with a continuing interest in events in Silverton to regularly access the 'WHATS ON IN SILVERTON' page on Facebook
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