Methodism founder had Chinese tastes

What crockery did you use with your breakfast this morning? The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, obviously had a taste for the exotic. His breakfast crockery is on display at his home in the City of London and he shared the 18th century enthusiasm for all things Chinese. The cups and saucers, plates and teapots all feature Chinese designs. Some may have been made in China while others may have been made in English factories using Eastern inspiration.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009

Miracle of the New River

London's parks are its great glory and the spring time is the best time to visit them. The huge chestnut trees are in flower and stand majestic in most of the parks while the foiiage of other trees and vegetation is rich and green.

Sharon has been practicing her walking in Clissold Park, Hackney, which provides a green lung to the tens of thousands of local residents who use it for everything, from going for a long run, to sitting in the sunshine or enjoying tea and cakes in the historic building that was once home to a rich family. The park covers some 54 acres.

A still stretch of water runs through the park, with trees reaching across the banks and shady areas where fish must lurk. This is a remnant of The New River. At the start of the 17th century the population of London had grown to about 180, 000 people and as there was nowhere for sewage to go other than into the water supply. Virtually all wells, rivers and springs had become seriously polluted. A new water supply had to be found. The solution was to dig a “new river” to bring water from the River Lee, about 20 miles away from the crowded city. This opened in 1613, when there was no pumping technology and so a route had to be chosen that was downhill all the way. The New River ran for 20 miles along the 100 foot contour, dropping about five inches per mile until the water reached its destination. The New River still functions today as a source of water for Londoners, but it now stops at a reservoir in Stoke Newington. As well as Clissold Park another section can be seen in Islington.

But on a pleasant sunny Sunday, a person practicing walking with her crutch was much more interested in the flat easy paths, the greenery and the birds. Not to mention a nice cup of tea.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.

Cajun Squirrel Crisps

Cajun Squirrel Crisps

Julia, our daughter, had had a bad week, with lots of meetings to fill Friday and she was walking as fast as she could towards the bus stop in the City of London. There were three lanes of traffic beside the pavement as she hurried along concentrating just on getting home. In her peripheral vision she saw a movement and she turned to see car smash into a large advertising billboard and its surrounding metal bollards.

With the sound of the crash and breaking glass and Julia saw one of the bollards go spinning through the air to hit a man who crumpled to the ground with his leg at an odd angle. Time seemed to stand still as everyone watched. Julia ran to the man and took her “best favourite pashmina” scarf off to stem the blood that was pouring from underneath his head. She started talking to him to keep him awake and reassured him that help was on the way. The accident took place very near a busy fire station and so the firemen were the first on the scene and took charge. Then the ambulance and police arrived.

Julia couldn’t believe that passers-by were taking photographs with their mobile phones of the injured man. She shouted at two of them asking “who on earth are you going to show those photographs to?” One man called her a bitch.

A fireman took over from Julia until the paramedics arrived shortly afterwards. Her hands were covered in blood and the favourite scarf was a write-off.

Julia was taken into the fire station to await the arrival of the police to take a statement. She was given a steaming cup of tea and a bag of potato crisps while she chatted to the fireman who was preparing steak and ale pie for dinner, with roasted potatoes, cabbages and carrots. Apparently, the makers of Walker’s crisps recently ran a competition to choose four new flavours. The winners were fish and chips, the builder´s breakfast, and Cajun squirrel. Julia sampled the latter, which she said tasted like chicken. Other flavours in the contest were onion bhaji, chilli and chocolate and crispy duck and hoisin. The firemen said that they have saved lots of cats stranded in the branches of trees and once removed a beehive. She saw the pole that the firemen slide down although she didn’t have a go. “The fire engines were pretty impressive and huge,” she said.

The good news was that the injured man was taken quickly to hospital and although the injury was serious, “the bones were sticking out” said Julia, he would recover. Police enquiries are continuing.

***

©Phillip Bruce 2009.