Seen on Youtube

[Tripps]

The news that Youtube is now second only to the BBC, as a primary source of 'News' got me thinking we need to reflect that in the site. I find myself watching it more and more - not mainly for news, just somehing interesting - to watch. There always seems to be something of interest.

Following Stanley's pendulums -this is more to my taste - she's very cute, and this video shows there are worse places to live than Cambridge.

[Stanley]

Unless I have something specific in mind, YouTube is my go to channel and yes, I saw the news about it being second choice after BBC.

[Stanley]

I tripped over this......

[Tripps]

A big USA shipping line has banned the transport of EV's on its ships. The big inevitable catastrophe looms larger.

I sometimes supspect Google is living in the spare bedroom. and watching me closely, with occasional forays into my head. It keeps seducing me into watching this.

I got married in Autumn 1973 - and as part of my my bucket list we went to Aintree to watch the Grand National. I wouldn't have missed it for the atmosphere, it but I've never felt the need to repeat the experience.

It was the first win by the wonder horse Red Rum. Here's a video of the jockey of the second horse 'Crisp' - that I had a couple of quid on at 10/1, and was counting my winnings a long way from the line.

[Stanley]

[Stanley]

[Tripps]

I had a bit of a Eureka moment yesterday. Google in its wisdom guided me towards an interview with the artist LS Lowry. I've grown to like and admire him - which was not always the case. The fact that he depicted Old Road Failworth -(the family seat) has stood him in good stead. During the interview he stood before a picture I'd never seen. I have since googled further, and found it is named "The Cripples". The very word is now seen as perjorative, and has been effectively cancelled these days, and I've seen th e painting described as harmful. .

What surprised me was the chap with no legs sitting in a primitive trolly very close to the ground in the bottom right corner of the picture.
That looks like the chap from Tommyfield Market in Oldham I thought. I remembered him vividly from childhood, trundling noisily around the flagged floor of the indoor market. The wheels of his seat were solid iron, and he propelled himself with two short sticks of wood which he pushed against the ground. There was no means of steering. Both legs were amputated above the knee and their appearance was brutal to say the least.

I looked further and from this video find he was indeed who I thought, and known as "Johnny on the board". Lowry painted it in 1949, and said he had not seen him for several years. "Perhaps he's retired". I've tried to date my seeing him. I can't remember but would guess I was on my own and not with my mother, so that would put it a long time after 1949. I can find nothing more on google - which surprises me.

I have often thought of him when people complain of how their disabilites are treated these days - when anxiety and stress are the ticket to a motability car.

[Wendyf]

The great aunt of a friend of mine lost both her legs in an accident at Colne Station while she was cleaning trains during WW1. She survived terrible injuries and was gifted a similar trolley by the Salvation Army so she could be mobile. She lived on New Market Street, which is a very steep hill and it's hard to imagine how she got up and down it!!

[Stanley]

Interesting memory David. I've seen an example of that trolley but I can't remember where.
You triggered another memory when you mentioned Tommyfield in Oldham. Our next door neighbour but one in WW2 was a man called Walter Pitcher who shared in our Anderson Shelter each nigh there was a raid. He was a jeweller and his shop was in Tommyfield. He always brought with him a briefcase which I understood was high value items of jewellery he wouldn't leave in the shop for fear of losing them to a direct hit. He made small animals from the candle wax to keep us youngsters amused..... That's a very powerful memory.....
Wendy, isn't it amazing how humans can adapt after accidents....

[Tripps]

I posted a question on this chap on a facebook site called Oldham Past.
They said it was going for approval but it immediately vanished. I've tried again today, but leaving out the trigger word 'cripples', in case that was the problem.I'm awaiting approval again.

[Stanley]

Filters can do funny things. I once sent an email to a woman in the Science Museum at South Ken. with the subject line 'Apron Hook'. It was always eaten by the system and I never found out why. I've tried since and it works all right now....