Gareth Southgate Station
I just had to visit Southgate station and take a few pictures.
Although the signage will come down tonight, I do think there should be perhaps a picture display at the station.
It would appear that the signage has been funded by Visa, who are a World Cup sponsor.
Transport for London seem willing to change the roundels on stations for various events.
So will we see others in future?
Has The World Cup Draw Been Kind To England?
When the draw was made for the World Cup, I didn’t pay much attention.
Perhaps, I should because England and Belgium were drawn in one the last two groups, they are playing virtually last in every round of matches.
So they are getting a good look at those they might meet in the future.
I don’t know how much of an advantage it is! But we shall see!
England In Kaliningrad
There is a good chance, that my great-great-great-grandfather; Robert Muller, came from East Prussia, the capital of which was Konigsberg East Prussia was annexed by the Soviet Union after the Second World |War and Konigsberg was renamed Kaliningrad.
My father was about fourteen, when his grandfather died and my father once told me, that his grandfather had told him, about meeting Robert, who would have been his grandfather’s grandfather.
Apparently, the elderly man didn’t speak any English and only spoke German. Knowing that my male line is Jewish, I wonder if it wasn’t German but Yiddish.
Konigsberg was an important city and the Prussian
Wikipedia has a section about the Jews in Konigsberg, where this is said.
The Jewish population of Königsberg in the 18th century was fairly low, although this changed as restrictions became relaxed over the course of the 19th century. In 1756 there were 29 families of “protected Jews” in Königsberg, which increased to 57 by 1789. The total number of Jewish inhabitants was less than 500 in the middle of the 18th century, and around 800 by the end of it, out of a total population of almost 60,000 people.
Speaking to someone at the German History Museum, a lot of Jewish men had to leave East Prussia, when they became adults, unless they were protected.
As Robert would have been a young adult,, when he turned up in Bexley, I suspect that soon after he qualified as a tailor, he left the area.
This keeping out of the way of trouble, is very much a family trait.
Konigsberg was at that time a port city and there was quite a lot of trade with London. So I suspect getting to London was not that great a problem.
I very much regret not asking my father for more details.
Like me my father was an atheist, although with a Jewish philosophy of life. He was also very much against fascists, communists and dictators of both the left and right. He was proud to have been at the Battle of Cable Street, when the East End of London stopped Oswald Mosley and his Blackshirts.
In some ways, I regret not being at the match tonight. But then I was advised that there would be trouble.
I have been to the Polish border with the Russian enclave. I wrote about it in At Poland’s Border With Russia.
Double Trouble For Southgate
Southgate is famous for its Underground station, which is Grade II* Listed.
Last night, there was an explosion, reported like this by Wikipedia.
On 19 June 2018, at around 19:00 BST there was an explosion at the entrance of the station, injuring five people.
Hopefully, everything will be fine!
And today, there is this report on the BBC, which is entitled World Cup 2018: England Manager Gareth Southgate Dislocates Shoulder.
That sound’s painful! Having met a few footballers, I suspect he’s being heavily teased.
Chris Waddle And Terry Butcher Are Complaining About The Flies In Volgograd
Apparently, they’re something else!
Smoking In World Cup Statia
This document on the FIFA web site is entitled Stadium Code Of Conduct.
This is a sentence under Prohibited Actions.
Smoking in any stadium zone, except in dedicated outdoor smoking areas, if in existence.
That appears to be pretty clear.
So why was a fat oligarch or similar, smoking an equally fat cigar in a very plush seat, when he was caught on camera yesterday?
World Cup Pub Quiz Qiuestion
Q: Why do the Icelandic team have the best teeth in the business?
A: According to Wikipedia, the manger; Heimir Hallgrímsson is a dentist!
England’s First Victory In The 2018 World Cup
This article on the BBC is entitled The Lawnmower Firm Planning World Cup Pitch Invasion.
This is said.
A business is working on its largest ever order – supplying lawnmowers for the World Cup in Russia.
Allett Mowers is providing 185 machines to stadia.
We may not be the best at football, but we could be the best at mowing.
The Anonymous Widower 