Beyond Limits ~ Chatsworth ~ 2012

You know how I love the sculptures featured every year at Chatsworth in the 'Beyond Limits' exhibition.

This year it starts on the 7th September and runs until the 28th October. It just features the artwork of Barry Flanagan who died in 2009.

I like hares and I like Barry Flanagan's work [see below] but I liked the variety in previous exhibitions.

Will I enjoy this 'Beyond Limits' as much as the others ? I'm not sure I will ... I hope I will.

Great British Walk 2012 - Stuart Maconie

A Farm Journal ~ from the 1st to the 16th January 1867

My great great great uncle John Bayliff Bowman lived at Summer Hill, near Monyash in the County of Derby.

The Bowman family, who were Quakers, had three farms, One Ash Grange [which John Bayliff Bowman often referred to as O.A.], Cales and Summer Hill [which he usually referred to as S.Hill or S.H.]

"A Farm Journal" continues :~

3 day - 1st of 1st Mo[nth] 1867 - Fine bright - frosty day gr[oun]d co[vere]d with snow 3 in[ches] - busy with the cattle & sheep - put ewes into moss field & gave turnips & hay - hogs into old meadow at Cales hay & turnips

4 - 2 Beautiful day frosty M[onthly] M[eeting] at B[akewell] - small self walked down & back

5 - 3 ditto - Thrash[e]d at Cales

6 - 4 dried oats & winnow[e]d - Ditto weather tied 11 more Irish

7 - 5 ground the oats into mung & meal windy & more like a change

1st day - 6 Fine frosty day

2 - 7 Wet morn[in]g - fair aft[ernoo]n - B[akewe]ll market & Club dinner I attended & rec[eive]d 1st prize for Swedes £2 

3 - 8 & 4 Fine & frosty

5 Ditto Mrs J went to B[akewe]ll with butler & Loui & Polly & on to Ashford & home - took mother 6 hens - W[illia]m & I to Hurdlow - Chalton [?] & home bo[ugh]t cow at Hurdlow

6 - 11 Thrash[e]d at Cales 3 little stacks Fine day

7 - 12 Snowy day bo[ugh]t 3 sturks & cow 33 10/- of S. Andrews 2 Heifers 24 5/- Mark Critchlow - cow of J.D.Wheeldon 16 10/- & W[illia]m of Hurdlow - sent all down to W[illia]ms at Middleton - took ewes down to Old Mans Green gave hay & turnips - tied 7 Irish at Breck Cote - 4 remain out

1st 13 Fine & frosty - W[illia]m & family at Meeting

2 - 14 Ditto - stack in S.H. oats to Cales & sheep cratches - 

3 & 4 winnow[e]d oats cales drying 

Just so you can put a face to the name [but remembering this is him as an older man] here is William Bowman and his wife, Elizabeth ...

 

In 1867 William would have been  41 or so. In the photo above he would have been in his seventies. In later years he described himself as a Retired Lead Miner/Engineer.

Peak District - Inspired by You ... short film revealing what the Peak District means to some local people.

Ticking away ... Day 666 ~ just saying ...

Is there anything I ought to be wary of ... ?

A Farm Journal ~ from the 19th to the 30th December 1866

My great great great uncle John Bayliff Bowman lived at Summer Hill, near Monyash in the County of Derby.

The Bowman family, who were Quakers, had three farms, One Ash Grange [which John Bayliff Bowman often referred to as O.A.], Cales and Summer Hill [which he usually referred to as S.Hill or S.H.]

"A Farm Journal" continues :~

19 Fine day - Kill[e]d pig

20 Fine to Ashford to dine after buying dole at B[akewe]ll

6 - 21 fine & mild weather

7 - 22 Ditto weather Mrs. Slack & Miss Melland came & helped us to divide the Calico

2nd day 24 B[akewe]ll market very dull

3 - 25 Misty & drizzly day went over to Middleton W[illia]m slept there last night 1st time John A[rmitage ?] & Willy & Bertie there I came up home with them to dine they went on to Ashford aft[ernoo]n - our servants Mary Blackwell & Mary Sybray both left us - hired Mary Ann Bagshaw for next year £14 - dull day - har[rowe]d Pewet Knobs prior to plough[in]g

4 - 26 Ditto weather 

5 - 27 cold day

1st day 30 Snow[e]d aft[ernoo]n frosty fornoon [sic] 

2 - 31 Very snowy & stormy tied heifers & sturks & lot of Irish bullocks up - laying stones in Shed & putting bosgins [sic] in for more tying & also in breck cote. 

 

What will 1867 bring ?

Floundering around in the dark ...

We enjoy things for different reasons, me and you ...

For instance, when I go walking I love beautiful scenery but I also just enjoy the very act of walking; of being part of the countryside ... the world. 

Perhaps I could explain.

Eight weeks after being diagnosed I dare say my head wasn't quite where it should have been.

One afternoon in December of 2010 I drove a few miles and parked at Winster. It was one of those dull winter days that I love as I set off up the path leading away from the village ...

 

Wyns Tor is only a hundred yards or so above the highest houses in the village.

 

I crossed the Limestone Way and reached Bonsall Lane ...

  

Two or three fields later and I was on Bonsallmoor Lane and the mist was closing in.



After taking a path to the left it was obvious that no one had been on Blakemere Lane that particular day ...

   

It was around here that I made my first video of the walk ...

I passed one of Bonsall's stone barns on Blakelow Lane ...

... before making my second video. The wind that was blowing affects the sound quality but the visuals are still, erm, interesting ...

By now I'd picked up the Limestone Way and was heading back towards Winster ...

There was a fine drizzle [or something] in the air but I could still photograph a squeezer stile with the assistance of the camera's flash ...

It was time for my third video ~ you might want to watch this in the dark ...

By now you're probably beginning to think I was crazy ... but I was loving it. There were no views, just me surrounded by the dark ...

There were one or two times when I thought I must be careful where I put my feet and I did wonder about getting my torch out but, I don't know, I was loving the dark.

Finally, a fifth video ...

Then I was back at the car. I had my coffee and I laughed 

 The walk featured above was followed on the 28th December 2010

Length of walk ~ 4 miles

Total mileage walked so far in 2010 ~ 384 miles

Total mileage between the 1st September 2009 and the 28th December 2010 ~ 517.75 miles

80 of 2010

NATIONAL TRUST PEAK DISTRICT: Ant research at Longshaw

NATIONAL TRUST PEAK DISTRICT: Ant research at Longshaw: Hairy wood ant behaviour will be tracked by tiny radio receivers in a pioneering scientific study at our Longshaw Estate.  Researche...

Clough Wood and Greatclose ...

Clough Wood is less than a couple of miles from here but by car and indeed on foot it's half as far again as you have to cross the bridge at Darley Bridge to get there.

After crossing the bridge you follow Oldfield Lane to get into the wood ...

The enormous chimney which rather spoils the view is part of the Enthovens' complex.

Leaving the old lane a short stretch of path brings you to the remains of Millclose Mine ... 

 

Beyond the old leadmine the path leads into Clough Wood itself ...

 

There was no one about ...

 The path I was following was heading west towards Winster but then it split and I took the line that turned sharply back into the wood and which, initially, headed east. It then slowly swung round to head for Winster ...

   In these fields was a farmhouse known as Greatclose. I remember not so many years ago walking through its ruins but in recent times all the stone was taken away until now all that remains is what may have been an orchard ...




Living at Great Close Farm as it was called in 1901 were George Swindell aged 41 ~ a farmer and lead miner ~ and his wife, Elizabeth, aged 45. Also living there [according to the 1901 census] were George and Robert, their sons, aged 13 and 12 respectively, and their three daughters,  Martha, Mary and Kate. They were aged 8, 6 and 2 respectively. 

They were still there in 1911 according to the census taken that year.

Now there is no sign of what had been their home. 

The path leads into Winster ...



No sooner had I reached the road than I turned left along it for 300 yards and took another path heading back into Clough Wood again.



This takes you over an unnamed stream. At least it's unnamed on my OS Map.



By now the afternoon light was beginning to fail and my camera gave the last few photos a blue hue ...


  
 The walk featured above was followed on the 26th December 2010

Length of walk ~ 4 miles

Total mileage walked so far in 2010 ~ 380 miles

Total mileage between the 1st September 2009 and the 26th December 2010 ~ 513.75 miles

79 of 2010

Picture This ! Shop window of David Bray Opticians ...

Well done Mr. Bray !

 

David Bray Opticians is based in Matlock, Derbyshire.

This young man would have been 60 today ...

Thinking of you Bow ...

What's wrong with this picture ?

 

Well it's the fact that it shows that some lazy shopper can't be bothered to walk just a few yards to put the trolley in the trolley shelter. They just left it where they had emptied it into their vehicle.

 

I hate people like that.

Who do I think I am ? [12] ~ my paternal grandparents ...

My father's parents were married 105 years ago in the Methodist church less than a mile from where I live.

There are no photographs of the wedding [which is a shame] as it appears that my grandfather's sister, Daisy, forgot to organise the photographer ... or so I have been told.

I didn't know of the existence of this newspaper report until my cousin sent me a copy.

Like so many steps forward in a family tree it results in a step backwards ... or at least sidewards. You see I know of three of the four bridesmaids listed ~ in fact I have photographs of them ~ but "Miss Gertrude Tetlow of Pendleton, sister of the mother of the bride" raises a few questions. The mother of the bride was of course my great grandmother, Agnes Ellen Wagstaffe nee Knowles ... and yet Miss Gertrude Tetlow is her sister. Something doesn't make sense.

In trying to trace my great grandmother's parents, I've been looking for the Knowles family. Is it somehow entwined with the Tetlow family ? Have I got the wrong family ... or is there an error in the newspaper report ? That's something to look into ... and part of the fun of trying to track down your ancestors.

Here's a transcript of the newspaper report forwarded by my cousin, Faye.

I'll tell you what, you don't get report like this in local newspapers nowadays.

Ticking away ... Day 656 ~ I'm wearing my stocking ! Seam's ok ...

A short update ...

Earlier this week I went to the podiatrict who looked at my big toe that I nearly ripped off three weeks ago. It seems to be hanging on to the nailbed and is a lot better than I thought it might be. She trimmed it and said there was no need to put a dressing on it.

Then yesterday my Beloved and I travelled the ten miles or so to the local hospice where Mandy showed me how to put on my stocking. She recommended using some gardening gloves with a bit of grip so I purchased a pair on my way home ... and they work a treat. I am now wearing my new stocking for a second day and although I'm aware of some compression [which is what it is all about] on my right leg, it isn't uncomfortable.

I'm not sure that it is a particularly sexy look but I did wear them with my shorts yesterday and I intend to do so until the weather changes ...

What do you think ? 

I'm being frank ...

... when I say that the envelope containing one of my two birthday cards received through the post yesterday made me smile ironically. 

 

Then I thought, it is what it is ... just get on with it ... though it would have been nice to forget things for a day.

A Farm Journal ~ from the 1st to the 18th December 1866

My great great great uncle John Bayliff Bowman lived at Summer Hill, near Monyash in the County of Derby.

The Bowman family, who were Quakers, had three farms, One Ash Grange [which John Bayliff Bowman often referred to as O.A.], Cales and Summer Hill [which he usually referred to as S.Hill or S.H.]

"A Farm Journal" continues :~

 

7 - 1st - 12 Mo[nth] Very rimy frost white - finish[e]d leading swedes home etc - cov[erin]g up - calf dead of speed at S.H. - one at Cales with belly ache - but recov[ere]d - things doing pretty well - cheese 16 in every other day both places - 

 

1st day 2nd Fine frosty

2 - 3rd Very wet

3rd - d[itt]o

4 - 5 Fair to M[onthly] Meeting] Chesterf[ield]

5 - 6 Fine early then very wet - bro[ther] W[illia]m came aft[ernoo]n - cows lie in

6 - 7 Fine morn[in]g - wet aft[ernoo]n - self with Wm. to Middleton then to Ashford to dine & tea - self & Wm to Longston [sic] to see ab[ou]t letting of a bit of land - Wm to Nott[ingha]m

 

7 - 8 Fine & frosty

1st 9 to 17 Very showery weather finish[e]d pit[tin]g turnips to Nott[ingha]m & 18 Lincoln Q[uarterly] M[eeting] & home

Headless chicken ...

Whilst walking up out of Rowsley yesterday towards Fallinge we noticed a bird beside the footpath signpost ...

 

Surely it would move as we stood there and talked about it. It didn't ...

Surely it would move when I walked right past it to take a photo of the signpost ? It didn't ...

We left it alone and surmised that it was ill. Hopefully there would be no loose dogs in the area later in the day.

A Farm Journal ~ from the 16th to the 29th November 1866

My great great great uncle John Bayliff Bowman lived at Summer Hill, near Monyash in the County of Derby.

The Bowman family, who were Quakers, had three farms, One Ash Grange [which John Bayliff Bowman often referred to as O.A.], Cales and Summer Hill [which he usually referred to as S.Hill or S.H.]

"A Farm Journal" continues :~

6 - 16 very wet day home in dog cart & horse bo[ugh]t at Nott[ingha]m with Joanna - arrived safe at home almost perished with wet & cold - found all well

7 - 17 Very sharp frost all day - plough[in]g - cutting swedes off when fit etc Cows lie out yet - have a bit of hay night & morn[in]g - & turnips in day

1st day 18 Stormy morn[in]g fine aft[ernoo]n

2 - 19 Fine & frosty

3 - 20 Ditto - S.A., Joanna & I to B[akewe]ll & Ashford to dine & tea

4 - 21 Ditto - S.A. & Joanna to Rowsley to meet Sam but alas there was a message for J. to return to N - to bairns badly - S.A. ret[urne]d alone

5 - 22 Fine but dull

6 - 23 Very showery day self to Middleton met Father & W[illia]m & Lizzy & Brownson looked over the farm & valued most things - satisfactorily - 11 ac[res] of turnips & swedes - seeds on moor 15 ac[res] look very promising - corn pretty good but weathered - hay ditto part weathered but not spoiled 

7 - 23 Dull & mizzly at times - finish[e]d cut[tin]g & carting swedes at S.H. cutt[in]g off in Waterholes & pi[tin]g corn [next word not clear] at S.H. - Cows have turnips in the field & hay night & morn[in]g - lie out

1 - 24 Very stormy

2 - 25 Fine day bro[ther] W[illia]m came up from B[akewell]

3 - 26 Fine day W[illia]m & Eben[ezer] & self to Alsop in Dale to sale of Mrs. Buxtons [sic]  bo[ugh]t 5 cows 2 heifers & bull calf & 35 ewes @ 51/- 6 cows of Jos[eph] Kirkam £14 10/- - home -

4 - 27 Fine & frosty

5 - 28 Fine but cold S.E. wind - to Staden Farm sale of the late W.Wood of Eagle Hotel Buxton - bo[ugh]t 4 heifers

6 - 29 Fine to Buxton to Eagle Hotel sale bo[ugh]t 55 ewes 50/- about Grey Horse £12 & bay mare £24 10/- rising 7 years each - bro[ther] W[illia]m at Middleton valuation

There was no entry for the last day of November 1866

From the Derby Daily Telegraph ~ July 19, 1913

Some months ago I opened an account with the British Newspaper Archive and have found some fascinating newspaper articles. Once I start feeding in some family names or places I can soon lose two or three hours.

Take my grandad, Charles Wildgoose ... and his brother, Robert. They appeared in court in July 1913 described as farmers of Darley Dale and were accused of "keeping dangerous dogs and not having them under proper control."

My grandad's greyhound had been found worrying sheep on the moors "five or six miles away from home". My great uncle Robert had a "cur dog" which "was barking at the sheep".

The owner of the sheep shot both dogs but they weren't so badly wounded that they couldn't get home. They were though subsequently found and identified.

The Magistrates "made an order for the destruction of the hound within seven days, and for the cur to be kept under proper control. - Defendants were ordered to pay costs."

I had never heard this story until I read it in the Archive and whilst it might only be a fairly minor incident it certainly adds something to what I know of my grandad.

Fifteen years or so later grandad still liked his greyhounds. Here he is on the steps of Darley House, where the family lived, with his wife, some of his children ... and a greyhound.