October 2017

Hello. Another month has elapsed since the last edition of this magazine, and I hope you are well and have done some good things during this period of time.In this edition you will learn about our new writing competition and see the winning entries for our recent poetry competition. Anyone can contribute anything that is not racist or offensive in nature, and you can send stuff to us at: deancharltonmag@gmail.com Best Wishes, Dean.THE NEW SHORT STORY COMPETITION:

1st prize is £100, 2nd prize is £50 and 3rd prize is £25.

To learn more please click on the following link to our competition page: 

MY NOT VERY SERIOUS STARS

Scorpio 24 Oct – 22 Nov

Someone who genuinely needs financial help will turn to you in their hour of need, so do what you can to help them. A man with a nice bottom will catch your attention but be careful as he is a two-faced creep who will only cause you problems. Now is a good time to grow a beard or a bicycle moustache.

Sagittarius 23 Nov – 21 Dec

It is a good time to get pregnant especially if you fancy a bit of maternity leave in the near future. A house with a red door will be significant to you this month. A game of some description with a new person in your life, may lay the foundations for a great friendship. Treat yourself to some new pyjamas.

Capricorn 22 Dec – 20 Jan

If you have children now is the time to plan a great Christmas for them – cherish them while they are young. A French woman will come into your life and show you some new cooking techniques and much more! If you fancy more physical contact with members of your own sex, then take up a sport like rugby.

Aquarius 21 Jan – 19 Feb

A good time to propose to the one you love. A mirror that you break this month will bring you decades of bad luck so do book some counselling now. A beautiful woman who trades on her looks will try and talk you into doing something that is no good for you. Why not get a rescue dog?

Pisces 20 Feb – 20 Mar

A spoilt child may really get on your nerves this month, but tolerate them, as your relationship with their parents is very fruitful. A trip to a bingo hall may be very beneficial. It is a good time to start to learn to play the clarinet. Consider having a part of your body enlarged.

Aries 21 Mar – 20 Apr

Some magic biscuits may take you to far away, pleasant place. Your chance to appear on local TV may come this month. It is a good time to start wearing a trendy baseball cap. The opposite sex finds you irresistible at the moment but be careful what, if anything, you do about this state of affairs.

Taurus 21 Apr – 21 May

This month you will meet an old school bully who will shock you with how little progress he has made in life – on any level. A job opportunity may be worth considering. Stop eating so much sugar unless you want to end up with fillings in your false teeth. Eat more oily fish.

Gemini 22 May – 21 Jun

Why not dye your hair an unusual colour this month? A leprechaun may impart some precious wisdom to you in a pleasant dream. Stop being so false with people around you and let them get to know you properly. Don’t regret turning down a promiscuous friend.

Cancer 22 Jun – 23 Jul

If middle-age is fast approaching, don’t make a fool of yourself by going out and buying ridiculous things, and just cherish the changes it will bring. A member of your family will be very kind to you and help you in a way you least expect. You really need to stop taking so much salt with your food. Be nice to someone less fortunate than yourself.

Leo 24 Jul – 23 Aug

A party would be a good idea at the moment but be careful who you invite to it. An old typewriter may bring you hours of fun so don’t just dismiss it out-of-hand – as they say: many a good tune is played on an old fiddle. Someone with long hair may educate you in things you didn’t know existed. Stop being a geek and live a bit.

Virgo 24 Aug – 23 Sep

A policeman may surprise you with his reasonable and understanding behaviour. It is a good time to consult a professional astrologist if you are keen to learn about your future. You will soon discover a new computer game – but don’t let it eat up all your spare time. Try to avoid gluten free biscuits as they are horrible.

Libra 24 Sep – 23 Oct
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Not a good time to start a new romance unless you want your heart breaking. A bitter, old, rude woman may cross your path but make allowances as she may have good reason to be like that. The death of someone close to you will devastate you but you will soon come to terms with it. Consider changing your soap powder.

THE RESULTS OF OUR LATEST POETRY COMPETITION:

1st Prize: £100 Evan Guilford-Blake

2nd Prize (Sponsored by Miss Brenda Condoll): £50 Simon Teff

3rd Prize: £25 Nicola Murphy

… from acorns grow

By Evan Guilford-Blake

–for Raymond Carver

Eighty-four years old and bundled against the first day of spring
Whose fluttery breezes
Skip through your silver hair
Behind your slow steps
As you plod the pavement arm-in-arm
with another woman, half your age
Beside a girl whose acorn face gapes and gawks at all the motion,
Whose step is the spring itself
You left so long ago.
Still, it is spring;
And you, old oak,
Are smiling.

The Mockadile

By Simon Teff

On New Year’s Eve in the Florida swamps,
Old crocodiles gather their youngsters round,
And tell the tale of The Mockadile,
And the young ones don’t dare make a sound.

Where he came from is lost in the mists of time,
But The Mockadile – he was a fearful beast,
Who criticized everyone he could find,
And once he had started he just wouldn’t cease.

He told the Emu her neck was too long,
And the Hippo his legs were too short,
The Leopard was spotty, the Lion was fat,
And the Spiny Anteater just wasn’t his sort.

But one day he stopped just to pick on an ant,
Who he said was too short and too round,
But the ant was close friends with a tiger called Jim,
And Jim gobbled The Mockadile down.

The young crocs would shudder to hear such a tale,
Of what can go wrong when we rant,
And they always remembered that mocking was cruel,
And to always beware of an ant.

The Broken Girl

By Nicola Murphy

She needs to heal, she needs to mend
Nothing in her life feels the same
When will this feeling come to an end
This feeling that she is to blame
Time is passing by in a blur
Darkness turns into light
People wonder what’s wrong with her
She doesn’t seem alright
Her eyes are dark, her heart is heavy
He left his mark but she wasn’t ready
He took what he wanted and then took leave
His penalty he is yet to receive
He will be judged, that day will come
The day he atones for what he’s done
The girl will heal, the memories will fade
She will look back on the life that she made
She was happy
She was free
She was a survivor
She was me

SOME OTHER GOOD ENTRIES:

Summer at the Beach

By Nick Carr

The sea it shimmers, like a bed of jewels.
The sand is warm and dry…
A cooling splash, from the rock pools
With a crystal clear blue sky.

The ozone smell, and salty air
The rattling of the shells…
Winter feels so far away
When surrounded with warm swells.

We dodge the waves, and throw the sand
We fly our kites up high…
Our castles, with their moats look grand.
We don’t want to say goodbye!

It’s time to leave, but we’ll be back.
We’ve had a brilliant time.
Our legs are red, and feet are black!
But our day has been sublime.

Her Hand

By Eleanor Campbell

And as I took that hand I realised
How shaped it was by life,
Palm rough and worn from trial and strife
But fingers soft from all things
Beauteous that gave her joy.

And such joy indeed was in those eyes,
They twinkled with all the mischief of the world
And told me that although she was old she was as
Youthful as I’d ever be.

Feline Fine

By Anthony Griffith

Human, I commend your assistance
as caretaker of my existence
and provider of my subsistence
from day to day

I paws for thought and reflection
on respect and heartfelt affection;
this union of utter purrfection
can’t be denied

One symbol of pure catisfaction,
though grooming is a welcome distraction,
a king sized bed for shameless inaction
is simply bliss

My domain is a treasure to savour,
and your ongoing service doesn’t waver;
the fact of my superior favour,

quite frankly,

is I’m the boss!

Dream Catchers and Daisy Chains

By Sharon Griffin

Dream catchers and daisy chains, the body may age but the child remains.
Memories of a long forgotten place, a touch, a feeling, a nameless face.
Days in the sun in the meadows of youth, living in a dream but longing for truth.
Clouds told stories of what was to be as they floated by so effortlessly.
And the spider spun his silvery skein as she swung on the swing in the summer rain.
So many mountains she wanted to climb but sadly she realised she had ran out of time.

BACKWATER

Written by Cathy Bryant

My background isn’t ground at all but water, starting on a Dawlish beach with sand the colour of the Osborne biscuits we munch, and a shoreline exotic with palms.

It is always sunny. My grandmother stands very straight and her house, ‘Trevethin’, is very clean.

I am a baby mermaid, duck-diving in the warm glass of green sea, and there is no way I could be happier.

Years later, work took the family North, but my water-world was still there. Tension and abuse were played out against a backdrop of spectacular Morecambe sunsets spilling over the unruly, dangerous bay. Still we toe-dug for cockles, shrimped or waded, slowly learning the quicksands.

I longed to plunge and wallow recklessly, but to do so meant death. The sands claimed too many people.

Still, I could sigh into the salt air, walk on the sand and wish for friendly faraway oceans to escape into, slipping into a new life with one flick of my tail.

Nomads like me never do well when asked for pieces on ‘home’, ‘background’ or ‘family’. My family was a horrible cliché, lurching from location to location; my home and background is any sea or salt water.

“Manchester has everything except a beach,” said Ian Brown of the Stone Roses, but I need beaches. It feels as if that’s where I came from, Venus-birthed from a giant shell pushed to shore by helpful fish. So we travel, me and my mer-man, who swims through his depression, from this shoreless place to get to my home: usually Crosby beach, where I can stand with the Gormley statues and look out over the waves, perfectly at peace. For me, salt water is my womb, my place of comfort, and has nothing to do with tears.

GUEST QUIZ FROM KATE CULLEN
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Questions:(1)   Which physicist, famous for his work on black holes, has motor neurone disease and is wheelchair bound?
(2)   Whose pupils were “la crème de la crème”?
(3)   What is a mandrill?
(4)   What is the international word sent out as a distress signal?
(5)   Which plague reached England in 1349?
(6)   THE CLASSROOM is a well-known anagram of what word?
(7)   Which game do Lions, Wallabies and Springboks play?
(8)   Name the first group founded in 1955 by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
(9)   With what did the sparrow kill Cock Robin?
(10) Whose girlfriend is Olive Oyl?
(11) Who did Joan Collins play in ‘Dynasty’?
(12) What does a Union Jack flying upside down signify?
(13) Which island has the capital of Douglas?
(14) What sort of boat is found on the canals of Venice?
(15) What swimming stroke is named after an insect?
(16) Which duck often accompanies Bugs Bunny in cartoons?
(17) In which city do the Royle Family live?
(18) What is the most common piece on a chess board?
(19) What sport uses a foil or an epee?
(20) What type of dog is associated with the Queen?Answers:(1) Stephen Hawkins (2) Miss Jean Brodie (3) A type of baboon (4) Mayday (5) The Black Death (6) Schoolmaster (7) Rugby Union (8) The Quarrymen (9) His bow and arrow (10) Popeye (11) Alexis Carrington (12) Distress (13) Isle of Man (14) Gondola (15) Butterfly (16) Daffy Duck (17) Manchester (18) Pawn (19) Fencing (20) Corgi

Interview by Dean Charlton and Robert A Williams
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(Dean) Can you tell me a little bit about yourself? I’m a hardworking 30 year old from Rochdale.  I manage Visit Hebden Bridge around my day job and social interests.  I am a retail manager by trade and I’ve been in that sector on and off for over 10 years.Where do you come from? I’m from Rochdale which isn’t too far from Hebden Bridge.Why do you visit Hebden Bridge? I visit the town because I own and operate a website that’s been running since March. It’s a modern platform for businesses and not-for-profit organisations in the local area, to showcase themselves to tourists and locals alike.(Robert) It’s a very good website done on Word Press and it seems to be getting a lot of traffic and it’s good for anyone who wants to be involved with www.visithebdenbridge.com  How would you market yourself? It’s a website business.(Dean) What inspired you to start the website? Since I was young, I’d been coming to Hebden Bridge with my parents and now I visit with my wife and friends. I realised that it was difficult to find everything in one place on the internet so I wanted to create a platform for the businesses and organisations that was easy to access. I also did it because of my love for the place.What do you like about Hebden Bridge? Everything. The people are lovely and there’s such a variety of businesses and things to do in such a small town. Everyone inspires one another and it is a very positive place. For example, each time the town has flooded; it has fought back and comes back better. I can’t think of a place where the locals are as resilient as in Hebden Bridge!Can you talk a bit about what you’re actually offering? The main focus for the website is for business – if someone wants to have their own interactive profile, for £100 annually you’re getting a business listing on my website which features things like picture galleries, a background story to the business and lists of your amenities etc. Businesses will also be shared through social media e.g. I have a strong and active following of over 13,500 on Facebook while Instagram and twitter are growing quickly. Also there is a local services section on the site so that both visitors and locals are reached.  £5 from every annual listing taken out also goes straight to the Watermark Flood Fund!Do you only cover Hebden Bridge? I cover Hebden Bridge and the immediate surrounding areas like Mytholmroyd, Luddenfoot, Blackshaw Head, Todmorden and Walsden but I am open to talk to anyone.Do you do anything other than this website? As mentioned earlier, I do the website in my
spare time and my main job is working as a retail manager at Rochdale Football Club – I’ve been a lifelong supporter of the club and feel fortunate to have landed the job in July of last year. I’ve been in retail management for most of my life and feel that I have the experience to help businesses. I enjoy the job and it gives me the flexibility to do my website in my spare time.Are you hoping the website will become your main focus? It will probably stay as the ‘side’ job as I can’t foresee it making me rich! But the enjoyment I get from meeting people and getting businesses out there is my main motivation. I want to bring the community together and help Hebden Bridge become even more well-known and busier than ever.Will you look to cover other areas in the future? That’s something people have asked me a lot. My main focus at the moment is Hebden Bridge and by the end of year one I’m looking to have 100 listings on the site. The aim is to become the No 1 Hebden business site. After that I may look at other places.Have you got an IT background? I did IT at AVCE level but I left before the end of my second year.  At the time, college wasn’t a priority for me due to the early death of my father. I had become somewhat disillusioned with things and needed a change. I had a part-time job in a corner shop which I enjoyed and this became full-time after employers were impressed with me. So I left college at seventeen with one ‘A’ level in IT – I wanted to be more hands-on and this ended up being my route into retail. I was managing a Spar shop at eighteen and I have progressed from there and as mentioned, I’m lucky to now have my dream job at Rochdale Football Club.  I have very good IT skills which I am always using for the website and my other online business interests, so I can’t say I wasted my time at college.(Robert) Do you think you may have problems with businesses in Hebden Bridge that are in the same area e.g. there are a lot of web designers in the town? I obviously have to remain neutral and encourage people to try and make up their own mind, but rather than web design, I’m offering a platform for each business to get on board with, these businesses may already have their own website but have used Visit Hebden Bridge to bring in more tourists and online coverage to their business.  Many of my clients have said that they that they have had increased sales and footfall through being involved with the website. I’ve noticed that since we have been involved with your website, we have seen an increase in ’likes’ on our Facebook page and that the traffic for our site has increased. 

(Dean) have you anything to add? I’d like to thank you for interviewing me today, along with all the businesses who have trusted in me and who have supported me so far.  Also  thank you to all the fans and followers of Visit Hebden Bridge.  I’ll be sticking around and hopefully everyone can benefit from being involved with my site as I continue to aim to bring the community together to make for a better Hebden Bridge.

How can people get involved with your site?

Email: info@visithebdenbridge.com

And/or: www.visithebdenbridge.com [1]

www.facebook.com/visithebdenbridge [2]

www.twitter.com/visithebden [3]

www.instagram.com/visithebdenbridge [4]

SWIFT  SUMMERWritten by Ruth Minich

The daffodils have finally turned brown and the whole countryside has upped its floral game.

Froths and billows of white fill trees, hedges and fields, the pink of wild roses, foxgloves and campions litter the banks, fighting for space with the dog daisies and buttercups; summer is almost here, but not quite. The woman who cranes her neck and strains her eyes and ears morning and evening is still waiting for her last sign, the final exclamation mark of summer’s declaration.  She saw the first swallows as early as April, the ones by the farm at the end of the Moor Road, they’re always first to arrive.  She has watched the curlew rise and fall above the field opposite Raby Castle and listened to its burble as it strived to impress it’s lady friend, but they are late this year, the breath-taking acrobats and entertainers, the swoopers and divers, twirling and whirling and looping the loop. Tired of searching the skies, the woman gives up her quest.

Through the steam of her pans one tea time she catches sight of a dark speck disappearing into the top corner of her kitchen window and runs outside. Yes! The high pitched screech, then – one, two—five! Down low above the neighbour’s wall then up fast until they are out of sight.

“They’re here” she says to her husband, “The swifts, they’ve arrived”. She leaves her kitchen door open, catching the sounds as the swifts fly round and around.

“I read that some swifts live up to 20 years, some of the ones up there will have been here time and again”.

“Wow” says her husband softly, his eyes on the computer screen.

“All the way from South Africa and Mozambique, across the Sahara, through the length of Europe, then back again. Over 20 years they can cover the distance to the moon and back seven times”.
“Mmm”

The woman settles down now to enjoy her summer, digging and watering the garden, watching the children play, sipping coffee in the morning sun.  Catching the last rays, eyes skyward, she listens to the swifts’ manic screeches as they join with the noisy bleats of half-grown lambs well into the evening, until the owls take over the show.

“Look Alfie” she points for her grandson, ”Look at the swifts, they never stop for a rest, they eat and sleep in the sky, they can’t get back up if they land, their wings are so long, watch them do their aerobatics”.

The boy stops his play and watches with her, then runs down the garden, “Watch me do my aerobatics on the trampoline Nanna”.

With one eye on her grandson and the other on the swifts, she notices that even the stay at home starlings seem caught up in the dance, daring to dive deeper and soar faster, endeavouring to keep up with their exotic neighbours.

It is the glorious twelfth and other exotic visitors arrive in Teesdale for the shoot, travelling by fancy jeep and helicopter from Europe and the Far East – income for the youngsters who work as beaters for the few weeks before a new school term begins, big money for the Raby Estate.  This is of no interest to the woman; she notices the quiet in the garden.  “They have gone – the swifts” she tells her husband.
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“You wake up one morning and they’re gone. The article in the paper said that the young ones go first, out of their nests for the first time, then off”.

How do they know which way to go?” her husband asks.

“I don’t know, I read that they follow the rains, – that’s where the insects are, through France & Spain to Africa, across the desert to the south”.

The weather is cooler now, the mornings misty, trees and hedgerows are red and purple with berries, vivid specks of yellow and copper leaves already show bright in the trees against the green. When she walks through the garden the birds suddenly fly up in front of her to the treetops, their chirrups tell her that she is disturbing their peace, though the blackbird and the thrush follow her around as she digs down into the rich black soil and plants her spring bulbs.

“Gardeners are always planning for the future Alfie”, she tells her grandson, “Working for something that we can’t see yet”.

Soon the nights will be dark and frosty, the family will enjoy their winter inside with log fires and Christmas lights, then the daffodils will bloom in spring and then there will be another summer and the swifts will return.

HITLER NAZI GERMANY AND KIM JONG’S DICTATORSHIP

Anonymous

Am I alone is seeing a comparison between Hitler and Kim Jong?

Both are dictators. Both are ruthless in subjugating their people: Hitler with the holocaust and Kim Jung with appalling labour camps.
Both appear to be adored by their people: think of the great rallies of people with Hitler making his demented speeches. At that time he looked impregnable. Kim Jung has the same hold on his people.

Hitler had the Doodlebug V1 Flying Bombs and V2 Rockets. Kim Jung has his Atom Bombs.

But as Hitler overestimated his power Kim Jong will do the same.

At the time of Hitler and the Nazi Party Konrad Adenauer was waiting in the wings waiting to take over. In North Korea there will be a similar person who will eventually lead the country to democracy.
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Right always wins out over evil.

THE PIECE HALL, HALIFAX

Written by Michael and Christine Blackburn
The Piece Hall was opened on the 1st January, 1779, as a Cloth Hall for the trading of ‘pieces’ of cloth (a 30 yard length of woven woollen fabric produced on a hand loom). What is amazing is the Hall was only open on a Saturday for two hours. Anyone found trading after the two hours could be fined. It opened from 8.00 am to 9.45 am for delivery of the cloth. Trading began at 10 am and ended promptly at 12 noon. Time was allowed up to 4 pm for the removal of cloth. The market was then closed till the following Saturday.We visited today. It is aesthetically beautiful – but is it worth nineteen million pounds? Seven million came from a grant so Halifax has had to find twelve million. The only way that this can be afforded is by ‘marketing’ the Piece Hall and encouraging visitors. That creates another problem. If the visitors come in coach loads where are the coaches going to park? Park them in the Eureka car park and where do the motorists go who normally use that car park? Solving one problem creates another! (See below regarding a Multi-Story Car Park).
A problem is being caused by people using the Woolshops car park to visit the Piece Hall. This causes queues of shoppers who want to shop at M &S. (There is a misunderstanding that the Woolshops car park is owned by M & S. when the car park is actually owned by the Coal Board who use the revenue to pay for miners’ pensions and for their widows).I think the Piece Hall restoration was worth doing but I was very disappointed by the fact that few of the amenities were up and running. There wasn’t one restaurant open. They advertised that they hope to be open by sometime in September. Not good enough!Having dealt with The Piece Hall, the next priority for Halifax must be the building a Multi- Story Car Park close to the town centre. The lack of parking places makes it difficult for the car owner and affects the shops which depend on customers who drive into town. At the moment, it easy is to drive to the White Rose Centre where parking is free and the shops available and all are under cover.For an example of a Multi-Story Car Park we need to go no further than the neighbouring town of Huddersfield. Here the car park is combined with their Bus Station where bus passengers can wait under cover. Halifax needs to copy this excellent facility.

TEN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HUMAN RELATIONS

Speak to people: there is nothing as nice as a cheerful word of greeting.

Smile at people: it takes 72 muscles to frown, only 14 to smile.

Call people by their name: the sweetest music to anyone’s ears is the sound of their own name.

Be friendly and helpful: if you want friends, you must be one.

Be cordial: speak and act as if everything is a joy to you.

Be genuinely interested in people: you can like almost everybody if you try.

Be generous with praise: and cautious with criticism.

Be considerate with the feelings of others: there are usually three sides to a controversy – yours, the other person’s, and the right one.

Be eager to lend a helping hand: often it is appreciated more than you know.
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Add to this: a good sense of humour, a huge dose of patience, and a dash of humility. This combination will open many doors and the rewards will be enormous.

FROM COLUM MacCOURT

PEACE

We are not much use to others, if we are not “at home” in ourselves, for people who come to us for help. If we are not at peace with ourselves, we will do more harm than good.That is a sobering thought for anybody who tries to be of use to others.Inner harmony is not something we seek for its own sake. Inner peace is one of the great blessings of life. If we are at peace we will bring peace wherever we go. We create ripples in the lives of all those we meet.THE CHEROKEE

An elderly Cherokee Indian was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them,
“A fight is going on inside me. It’s a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity. guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego. The other wolf is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.This same fight is going on inside you and every other person too.”They thought about it for a minute, then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”The old Cherokee simply said, “The one you feed.”SAYING YES

All negative thoughts I’ve decided must go,
I’ll try to say ”Yes” when I want to say “No”
I won’t say “I can’t” but “I can only try”
And accept things that happen – not keeping asking why,
I’ll make time for hobbies and brighten my day,
And not let my problems affect what I say.There are many folks homeless, sad, hungry in pain,
I am blessed with so much, I’ll not grumble again.
Today will be good for I’m filled now with hope.
With God’s love inside me, I know I can cope.No moanings or groanings, no sighing, no dread.
My positive thoughts are all there instead.FEELINGS

It’s important to say nice things about your friends and family.It’s probably even more important to do nice things for your friends and family.Take time to give time to your friends and family.

Take time to listen to what other people say.

Remember it’s what you say and do that affects everyone else.

JUNE CHARLTON REMINISCES…

When I was around ten or eleven years old, I started to be independent and was allowed by my parents to go out and play with my mates or friends.

We used to go to the rec (recreation ground) which was up Three Lane Ends, Castleford. There was a woman who had a wheelchair; I think she looked about thirty years old but I couldn’t really tell. Her name was Gwennie and I was a bit scared of her because she always tried to push her wheelchair into me – I think she had medical problems. It was nice at the rec as there were lots of things to keep us occupied – there were swings and slides and a double swing for two people to play together, and we used to swing high on it. There was also a paddling pool and when the weather was nice, the attendants filled it with water. We had such a good time splashing about in it.

There was a man at the rec who offered us sweets, but I had been warned by my mother not to take sweets from strangers. These days he would have been called a pervert.

I also liked playing in James’ field which was just across from where I lived. I went to quite a lot of parks and the one I liked best was Queen’s Park in Castleford where we had lots of fun. I thought it was lovely taking bread and jam sandwiches and getting a drink from the fountain tap on the wall. I don’t think people had flasks in those days.
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When I was growing up, we had good times as there was always plenty to do. I liked playing marbles. I also liked throwing a ball up against Miss Marshall’s wall, but it must have annoyed her as she came out with a sweeping brush to frighten us! Looking back I can see how it must have been frustrating for her, but you don’t think of that when you’re young and having fun!

KITTY LYNN HAS SENT IN TWO MORE GOOD RECIPES

Lemon Tart
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Ingredients:                4oz softened butter
½ cup sugar
½ tspn vanilla
1 ¾ cups of flour
Pinch of salt

Method:                      Mix ingredients well together and put into prepared tart pan to
form a crust. Chill for ½ hour then bake blind for 20 mins at 350
degrees or gas mark 4. Then remove and bake for an extra
20 mins.

Lemon Mix:                zest of 2 lemons, plus juice
2 cups of sugar (process together)
2 eggs one a time
2 oz of butter

Method:                      Blend together in saucepan till thick, then pour lemon mix over
prepared tart base. Cook in oven at 350 degrees or gas mark 4 for 15
minutes. Chill in fridge overnight. Enjoy!

Flourless Chocolate Cake 

Ingredients:                1 lb of dark chocolate
1 lb of butter
1 cup of instant coffee
8 eggs whisked with 2 cups of sugar
1 tspn of vanilla essence

Method:                      Melt chocolate and butter over a pan of simmering water. When melted
and mixed, add cup of  instant coffee. Mix thoroughly and allow to
cool. Whisk eggs and add vanilla essence. Add mixture to chocolate
mix. Mix all ingredients together and pour batter into 8” round tin.
Bake for one hour at 350 degrees or gas mark 5. When cool remove
from tin and decorate with chocolate whirls.

SENT IN BY MICHAEL BLACKBURN

RELIGIOUS RODENTS

Two parish priests from the deanery met up at the golf club. “How are things Pat?” asked Father John. “Terrible,” said Father Pat, “The church is over-run with mice and I’ve tried everything to get rid of them – a cat, poison, bait, humane traps, public health inspector, rodent operative – you name it I’ve tried it, but without success. The mice are still swarming all over the church.

“Ah” said Father John, “I had exactly the same problem in my own parish church last year and I solved it overnight!
“What did you do?” asked Father Pat in a sigh of relief.

“It was easy, I baptised them all and now I only see them at Christmas and Easter.

ANGELS: If you want to know about angels, ask a child.

I know only the name of two angels, Hark and Harold.

Everybody’s got it wrong. Angels don’t wear halos any more. I forget why but scientists are working on it.
It’s not easy to become an angel. First you die. Then go to Heaven, and there’s still the flight training to go through. And then you get to wear those angel clothes.

My guardian angel helps with maths, but he’s not much good at science.

Angels don’t eat, but they drink milk from Holy Cows.

When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. When he lets out his breath again, there’s a tornado.
Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy. If you lose a tooth, the angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow.

Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, who’s a very good carpenter.

All angels are girls because they have to wear dresses and boys are not that keen.

My angel is my grandma who died last year. She got a big head start by helping me while she was still down here on earth.

What I don’t get about angels is why, when someone is in love, they shoot arrows at them?

LETTERS PAGE

Dear Editor

Your correspondents often criticise buskers and cyclists but I want to write something in their defence!Buskers or street entertainers often add to a lovely atmosphere when one is sat outside a café on a sunny, relaxed day. I know that some people like to chat quietly but I’m sure there are other people like myself, who like a bit of impromptu entertainment – you do not have to give them any money if you don’t want to.Also, I think it is great that more people are getting on their bikes and embracing cycling as a pastime. I am a car driver, but I do not mind biding my time to overtake an enthusiastic cyclist who has ever right to be on the road and unlike me is not causing any pollution.Naomi Walls, Bridgend

Dear Editor

I, like many British people, regret voting for Brexit (now that the real facts are out) and believe there is good reason for a second referendum. There is going to be nasty consequences for British people and to the British economy. Let’s do a U-turn and avoid a messy and painful divorce from the EU – before it’s too late!Steve Jones, Birmingham

Dear Editor

I am as patriotic as the next person, but I wonder if I am wasting my time when I see our roads full of luxury German cars and British celebrities celebrating being British one moment, then promoting foreign products the next. I also think that people who leave a country to avoid paying tax should be immediately stripped of their citizenship.Paul Holmes, Swindon

Dear Editor

I agree that controlled immigration is healthy for our country, but I think it is wrong to compare immigration with emigration figures as many people who leave the UK are financially solvent, educated and with skills, whilst many people who come to our shores lack even the basic means to support themselves. I know of a Bosnian man who has unfortunately recently had a heart attack who is now being treated free-of-charge in a British hospital even though he has never paid into the National Health – do you think this is right or wrong?

Peter Knowles, Leeds

Dear Editor

I am very concerned about Global Warming and I think much travel we undertake is superfluous. For example, do professional sports teams really have to travel all around the world followed by their supporters? – Especially for ‘friendly’ fixtures.
I don’t think people are as worried about Global Warming as they should be.Mary Doyle, N Ireland

Dear Editor

Like many people with a conscience, I am frustrated and angry about the inequalities which exist in western societies. I am however, now in my late fifties and realise that radical change is unlikely when the rich can flex their financial muscle and control everything at their will. I do think though, that we can all make a small difference by treating people how we want to be treated thus eliminating much suffering and exploitation.Jane French, Middlesbrough

Dear Editor

When I watch British TV, there seems to be an abundance of advertisements for this, or that, charity. Most charities seem to be worthy ones but when I see those that concern themselves with animal suffering, I do wonder why more is not done to stop animal cruelty rather than concentrating on treating injured an abused animals – surely prevention is better than cure?Frank Wilson, Colchester

Dear Editor

Like some other people, I think that the British Honours System is ridiculous and favours people who are already rich who do not need a silly title like ‘Sir’! If we must have such a system, then surely it should reward selfless people who have worked hard to make other people’s lives better and have not just worked for their own financial and egotistical benefit.Jade Carter, Nottingham

Songs:

If You Love Somebody (Freddie and the Dreamers)	My four year old daughter’s first music crush.
A music recital (Mantovani)	The record we played with at our wedding.
Please Mr Postman (The Carpenters)	My brother’s favourite duo.
A Do Ron Ron (The Crystals)	A song played on my holiday at 17 in Great Yarmouth with my friend Janet, as a boy at our hotel was called Ron.
Who’s Taking You Home Tonight? (Foreigner)	A song I listened to in our caravan where I lived with with two children for five years whilst I helped build our house.
Auld Lang Syne (Trad folk song with lyrics By Robert Burns)	A song played every New Year’s Eve with all my family and friends surrounding me.

 

Book:                                                   A favourite book of mine is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

It was my first grown up classic book bought by my parents for  me for Christmas when I was ten.

Luxury Item:                                        The luxury item I would take is my Kindle as I can never be far from a good book.

CHARLES HORNER OF HALIFAX:  JEWELLER

Researched by Michael Blackburn

Anyone who watches antique programmes will be used to hearing the name ‘Charles Horner of Halifax’. But in Halifax itself he seems to have been almost ignored.

He was born 1837 and died in 1896 and was, in his day, a maker of fine jewellery. During those times women were sewing, wearing hat pins and wearing brooches. Charles excelled in manufacturing all those needs.

That Halifax seems to have ignored him is borne out by the fact that there is no blue plaque indicating the whereabouts of his home or his place of business and it is only now, one hundred and twenty years after his death, that a book is being written about him. (See note 1).

Early thimbles were weak and needles would pierce the thimble. Horner recognised this and in 1894 he patented a thimble using a sandwich of strong steel and sterling silver layers.

In the nineteenth century and well into the twentieth century women wore hats and needed hat pins to hold them in place. They also wore ornate brooches setting off their fine clothes.

Horner aimed at both the ‘thimble’, ‘hat pin’ and ‘brooch’ markets and was astute enough to aim at the top end of that market as he had the skill to do it. Most were made in silver though a few were made in gold. Horner was also an expert at enamelling.

Today’s price for a top quality hat pin can be over £100 but that is low compared to his silver and enamelled brooches and necklaces which can sell at almost £800.

His business was founded in the 1860’s and was at 23 Northgate. After his death in 1896 his two sons, James and Charles Henry, continued the business in partnership with Charles William Leach. They expanded in 1905 with opening a new factory at Mile Cross, Halifax where they extended the range of produce with silverware, tableware and clocks.

The company went into voluntary liquidation in 1984.
​
Note 1. The book ‘Charles Horner of Halifax’ can be obtained from Bankfield Museum. A first edition copy costs £75. It is beautifully illustrated with 650 illustrations and 304 pages in colour. (Bankfield Museum, Akroyd Park, Boothtown Road, Halifax HX3 6HG). Phone 01422 354823. Email: bankfield.museum@calderdale.gov.u

Ref: Wikipedia.

ANOTHER FUN QUIZ FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH

Questions:

(1)   When did the Titanic sink?
(2)   Who starred in the film ‘Mary Poppins’?
(3)   Which band had a hit with the song ‘Hotel California’?
(4)   What is the capital of Vietnam?
(5)   What currency is used in Malaysia?
(6)   What sport did Robin Cousins excel in?
(7)   Where is Times Square?
(8)   What nationality was the actress Ingrid Bergman?
(9)   When did India gain independence from Britain?
(10) Who captained England to World Cup glory in 1966?
(11) Who is credited with inventing electricity?
(12) What is the official currency of Belgium?
(13) Where is John Lennon Airport situated?
(14) Which planet is furthest from our sun?
(15) What year did man first walk on the moon?
(16) Where was Elvis Presley born?
(17) When did the wall between East and West Germany come down?
(18) Who is the current Dutch Monarch?
(19) Which politician introduced the NHS in Britain?
(20) Who had a hit with the song ‘Heart of Glass’?

Answers:

(1) 14 Apr – 15 Apr 1912 (2) Julie Andrews (3) Eagles (4) Hanoi (5) Ringgit (6) Figure Skating (7) Manhattan, N. York (8) Swedish (9) 1947 (10) Bobby Moore (11) it was not invented as it is a form of energy that occurs in nature (12) Euro (13) Liverpool, UK (14) Neptune (15) July 1969 (16) Tupelo, Mississippi, US (17) 9 Nov 1989 (18) King Willem-Alexander (19) Bevan (20) Blondie

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Editor’s Final word: Thank you once again for taking time to read our magazine. If you would like to contribute something to a future edition, please send it to us at: deancharltonmag@gmail.com Thanks, Dean.