I lost interest in reading for a good few years but I have, in the last 2 years, rediscovered my love of books. My choice of books has generally been fantasy or chick lit, but my other obsession with a certain aircraft has led me to books about aviation. My brother and a few others […]
Author: jo23thingsplus
1851: Petty Sessions
The Hertford Mercury, Saturday 4th October 1851 Present: A. Currie, Esq. in the chair; Captain Foskett, W. Stuart, H.H. Burchell and R. Clutterbuck, Esqrs. Maria Dollamore, beer-shop keeper, at Gander’s Ash, near Leavesden, in the parish of Abbott’s Langley, was summoned for refusing to admit a police-constable Dunn into her house during the time of […]
1945: their last Halifax – by busmen
Daily Mail, 17th April 1945 “London Pride,” the last of the 710 Halifax bombers built by men and women who serviced and repaired London’s buses before the war, was handed over to the R.A.F. at Leavesden Aerodrome, Near Watford, Hertfordshire, yesterday. After tea in a flag-draped hangar, the workers went home. Today they will be […]
1956: In his mirror, he saw a Princess
Daily Mail, 3rd May 1956 What happens when a Princess driving her own Rolls-Royce hits your car? Mr. Leslie Schutt told yesterday. He was heading home for lunch ln his Standard Eight when, suddenly, right in the back – bump! Curly-haired Mr. Schutt. 26-year old paint salesman. frowned darkly in his mirror to find staring […]
My Concorde bucket list
So far I have managed to tick 4 Concordes off the list, Reg. No. Location First Flight Last Flight Supersonic Flights Seen by me F-WTSS 001 Museum of Air and Space, Le Bourget, France 02/03/1969 19/10/1973 249 G-BSST 002 Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton, England 09/04/1969 04/03/1976 196 G-AXDN 101 British Airliner Collection, […]
Daily prompt: what activities do I lose myself in?
What activities do you lose yourself in? For me it’s reading, family history research and jigsaws. In a weird way, they are all linked. I have to read to do the family history research, and what I find is like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle as I try to piece together the lives of […]
Concorde: a special aircraft
Ever since I found out at some point in the past that Concorde flew for the first time on my 5th birthday, she (for planes are always ‘she’) has always had a special place in my heart. However, as a distraction for stuff that’s currently going on in real life that is causing stress, Concorde […]
Daily Writing Prompt: what have I been working on?
A lot of ‘stuff’ is distracting me, apart from the obvious one of having to work to earn a living and keep a roof over my head. Selling my Mum’s house to pay for her care home fees is really causing me a lot of stress currently. We accepted an offer last April but the […]
1820: Pretended Witchcraft
Jackson’s Oxford Journal, London, December 28 (1820) William Edwards, of Leavesden-green, Watford, Herts, (formerly post-boy at the Salisbury Arms, at Hatfield,) was robbed of 30/. 14s. on Tuesday, the 14th inst. in the following manner: A female gipsy, who had been encamped in the neighbourhood for several days previous, entered the house of Edwards in […]
1901: Alleged Housebreaking By A Woman
Watford Observer, Saturday 7th September 1901 Annie Overend (40)1, of no fixed abode, was charged with larceny on August 30th. Police-Constable Westrope deposed that on Thursday, August 29th at 9.30p.m. he went to Trowley Bottom, Abbots Langley. He went into the Brickmakers’ public house, and saw the prisoner sitting on a seat with a sack beside […]
1991: Man ‘Stole His Own Airplane’
Amersham Advertiser, 4th December 1991 PILOT Martin Daniels has appeared in court accused of stealing his own plane. Daniels, 38, of Manor Lane, Gerrards Cross, is alleged to have stolen his £140,000 Cessna 421C from a hangar before flying it to Exeter. The plane had been undergoing repairs at Leavesden Flight Centre, Watford and a […]
1898: Accident
Watford Observer, 2nd April 1898 A shocking accident occurred on Monday afternoon just outside Mr. Pusey’s stables. An elderly man named Stevens, in the employ of Mr. Wilcox of Waterdell, was driving a cart with a load of turnips when the young horse started suddenly, and the poor man was thrown off and run over, […]