Winter Comes


Well we are having a cold spell here. The Car's temperature gauge was stuck on minus five , when I started it yesterday at 11:00 am. Through the day it gradually unglued itself and ended up at minus one.

The picture is an exterior view of 'The Robert  Raikes ' public house in Gloucester.

It has been elegantly restored to its former glory , with no expense spared by the brewers 'Sam Smith ' and has been open for service for the last seven weeks.

Robert Raikes was born in Gloucester in 1736. Proprietor  of the Gloucester Journal from 1757 which he inherited from his father , he became known as the instigator of the Sunday Schools' movement.

So successful was this movement that by 1831 , it has been estimated  that one and a quarter million children were being ministered to, or 25% of the population. It can therefore be rightly , in my view ,  be considered as a forerunner of the national education system.
 Robert Raikes died in 1811.

Formerly a pub and a shop , the above place was the actual home of Robert Raikes and family and therefore one of Gloucester's oldest buildings.

It felt warm and cosy inside ,being divided into the original small rooms , serviced by glowing fires. The bar area was a little cramped and may be a source of frustration , when scores of rugby fans come for their pre-match libation , and find the queue tiresome. The toilets were situated up two flights of stairs , probably causing a problem for disabled customers ; but these really are only minor carps , when compared to the grandeur of this restoration - go see.

NR. "Stardust " by Neil Gaiman - he really is a most engaging author.
NP.  "Tarkus " by Emerson , Lake & Palmer - after watching BBC prog-rock programmes ; ELP  who needed such wonderful over the top logistics -3 Artics (one each for equipment) , including a  £7,000 persian carpet on which to perform - impossibly self-indulgent.
Ciao4now
Ck.

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please feel free to comment and point out faults.
glad to have you aboard .

Curlykale.

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