My mother described herself to me as a Ponders Plonker, as she had been born in Ponders End. I think at some time she may have told me she had been born at home.
So as census records show that in 1911, her parents lived at 32 Clarence Road, I took a train to Ponders End station and went for a walk.
As there were several brothers and sisters and the family had moved out from Stoke Newington, I thought the house would have been bigger.
But according to an elderly lady I met, it appeared the houses had been built around that time, so they were probably the first owners. As my grandfather was working as an engraver with I think his premises somewhere in the Barbican area of the City, transport from Ponders End station to Liverpool Street would have been easy.
Judging by the age of much of the property in the area, my grandparents would probably recognise most of the houses and other buildings.
July 18, 2015
Posted by AnonW |
World | Enfield, My Family |
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According to this report on the BBC, Greece has now voted through the bailout conditions, so that they can get further money from its debtors.
But will this be the end of the tragedy?
I doubt it!
The Greeks voted for the end of austerity in the last General Election and they have now got Austerity Plus. But they do get to keep the euro!
That sounds like a recipe for trouble!
If there is a lesson in the story of Greece and the euro over the last few years, it is that you must not fiddle the books, bribe the electorate and you must above all keep the finances in order and hopefully balanced.
Did anybody tell the Greeks that euros don’t grow on trees in Brussels?
At least the sun won’t go on strike! This is the one light at the end of the tunnel.
July 16, 2015
Posted by AnonW |
Finance & Investment, World | Economy, Europe, Greece |
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What the Labour Party hasn’t realised is that the electorate has changed radically over the last twenty years. More of us have gone to University and everybody now has much better grasp of the issues facing the country. Even if they are getting on in years or not very politically informed, they have a friend or relative who understands the complex issues. So gradually the electorate is realising that the old philosophies of both left and right don’t work.
July 16, 2015
Posted by AnonW |
World | Labour Party, Politics |
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I’m just watching the Tour de France on ITV4, as I put together the next couple of IKEA cabinets for my kitchen.
The adverts are completely aimed at the wrong person.
1. There has been two different companies trying to sell me Funeral Insurance. Why would I want a funeral and anyway, I won’t be going or remember it. We should just post our bodies to the nearest hospital for dissection practice or a pet food factory to do something useful.
2. There are also adverts for Skoda cars. I don’t drive and have no interest in the sort of boring cars bought by plebs. Or in any car forv that matter unless it doesn’t pollute my walking space.
3. Santander Bank. Only idiots, bank with Head Offices in other countries. Remember Iceland and Scotland!
4. Petplan, Pets are for the lonely and conservative.
5. Loans. I don’t need to borrow money.
6. Car Insurance. See point 2.
7. Barbecues. I hate them!
When somebody invents a television that doesn’t show adverts or trailers in live television, I’ll buy one.
July 15, 2015
Posted by AnonW |
Sport, World | Advertising, Cycling, Television, Tour de France |
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As I walked from Kensal Rise station to Ladbroke Grove, I couldn’t avoid seeing this building by the Grand Union Canal.
It is a house created by Tom Dixon from a water tower. This page on the inhabit web site gives more details.
This Google Map shows the area, where a bridge carries Ladbroke Grove over the Grand Union Canal.
Grand Union Canal At Ladbroke Grove
The house is the round structure on the South side of the canal, by the bridge, to the right of the long silver building.
On the canalside in front of the house and the silver building is another interesting structure.
It is a Monitoring Station for the electricity cable networks that are run by National Grid. It appears to be in a state of refurbishment at the moment, which stopped me taking a picture of the plate which gave details of its function.
July 14, 2015
Posted by AnonW |
World | Architecture, Housing |
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Corals Betting Shop in Hackney has an interesting juxta-position with St.Augustine’s Tower.
A Bookies With A Clock Tower
The tower and its contents are Grade 1 Listed.
July 14, 2015
Posted by AnonW |
World | Hackney |
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I don’t understand ISAs but I know a man or woman who claims they do. Read their article on the Zopa web site.
July 14, 2015
Posted by AnonW |
Finance & Investment, World | Zopa |
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According to one reporter on the BBC this morning, Angela Merkel did her usual and kept going for many hours in the Greek debt negotiations.
I’ve also read reports, that Margaret Thatcher used to show the same stamina. In fact, she was awake working, when the Brighton Bomb went off.
Interestingly, they are both women with a scientific training!
July 13, 2015
Posted by AnonW |
World | Angela Merkel, Margaret Thatcher, Politics |
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Transport for London and their various predecessors have always been very particular about handrails on stairs in stations and also on buses. Here’s some examples.
But are we that particular in our homes. I put this handrail on my stairs.
The Handrails On My Stairs
And I put extra hand holds in my bathroom.
A Handhold In My Shower
I feel very strongly that when you fit rails and hand holds for safety reasons, that you should not have to pay VAT on the hardware and the work. Especially, if as in the case of the handrail on the stairs bloody Jerry should have put them in when he built the house.
My MP agrees and she has written to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury.
I suspect in the case of my professionally-designed and Sheffield-built handrail, the biggest objections to removing VAT will come from those snake oil-salesmen, who get the elderly and disabled to buy unnecessary stair-lifts.
An interesting point, is that probably quite a few premises that have to fit extra handrails and handhold are commercial premises, like offices, restaurants and shops, who of course would be registered for VAT.
July 13, 2015
Posted by AnonW |
World | Health and Safety, Tax |
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I have decided that my next Home Run will be from Dubrovnik. I am not booking it yet, as I have one health issue to clear up first. I also want to get some more of my kitchen done first. So dates look like as follows.
Leave London on July 27th by either easyJet or British Airways.
Return to London on Aug 6th or 7th on a late Eurostar out of Paris. Ipswich are at Brentford on the 8th, so I want to be home before this match.
C and myself only went to Croatia once and that was on a long drive back from the Greek Islands in the 1970s, where we passed through Zagreb. One of C’s phrases was to describe people as grebes for some reason, so I can remember her making comments about the Zagreebians.
So one of the reasons is to get myself more knowledge of Croatia.
I also intend to go to Munich to get a pizza and a beer and to Karlsruhe to have a further look at their large tram-train network or Stadtbahn.
A Possible Itinerary
July 27th – Fly to Dubrovnik – Spend three nights in Dubrovnik
July 30th – Bus to Split – Spend one night in Split
July 31st – Train to Zagreb – Spend two nights in Zagreb
August 2nd – Train to Ljubljana – Spend one night in Ljubljana
August 3rd – Train to Villach and Munich – Spend one night in Munich
August 4th – Train to Karlsruhe – Spend two nights in Karlsruhe
August 6th – Train to Paris and London
July 11, 2015
Posted by AnonW |
Transport/Travel, World | Home Run From Dubrovnik |
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The Anonymous Widower 