Nevis - what is it? Where is it? Contemplating one's Nevis?

This is a late post and thus is rather late news too - but news it was - to me ...

What has Nevis and John Cleese got in Common?

Firstly, Nevis is an island - read about it in glowing terms here.

That trusted treasure, John Cleese, by the time you read this (if that's after November 2018), should be living, he suggests, permanently there.

See what he has to say about it all with one of my favourite BBC people, Emily Maitliss (below) but, sadly, for me, our trusted treasure, he comes across (at least on this occasion) as a bumbling (whatever that is) old, large-stomached, tight-trousered, mic-discarding, clipboard-carrying, self-important (note his distraction and disgust at a cameraman's chat when he is in full flow) twat ...

... Such a pity ...

Let's hope he enjoys his new (hopefully long) life in The Caribbean.

Bugzy Malone and Rag'n'Bone Man perform Run on Later... with Jools Holland

I always tend to miss the midweek Jools (Later) but by a fluke caught it successfully and the first item was Bugzy Malone (like I knew who the hell that was) and the guy with the amazing voice (I of course recognised the voice but not the new look) was Rag 'n' Bone Man. We used to have one of those come around our streets in Dulwich, South London in the sixties. He had a horse and cart and a bell.

I am 69 years old. I am NOT supposed to love this rappy, hip-hoppy music … but I do!



No doubt my peers will hate it, which rather makes me like it somewhat more.

Love it love it love it!

The thing I have always liked about rapping type music is not only the rapid, punchy beat and rhythm but also and in particular the social commentary made by the lyrics. The lyrics are not always 'pure' because they have to fit into the space that the music permits but the message is always there. Important not to be too critical of the precise words - just get the message put over in the words and typically they're about deprived youngsters trying to keep their heads above water when drowning in peer pressure to join gangs and go-nowhere street life.

As a young boy growing up in South London I got an idea of the developing social scene which then, in the 1950s was nothing like the dangerous scene that can envelope young people in big cities these days. My life was twice 'elevated' (to enlighten me) when at about 12 years old I was sent to boarding school in Hertfordshire and then, many years later in my early thirties I was sponsored onto the London Blue Badge Guide (tourism) course and I started 'rubbing shoulders' with the middle classes and sometimes the wives and partners even of the aristocracy. I gained a taste for a different life and lifestyle. I discovered 'culture'.

The above video has these lyrics (below) and I won't bother to track down and post the lyrics to the other track  but they are findable of course, if you are interested. I say this to my readers: if you are inclined against this kind of music, maybe have no time for the rapping and hip-hop music genre, at least understand from whence it came and reflect.

LYRICS:

Read “Run” by Bugzy Malone on Genius

Want to know what a Wiz Khalifa is? It's a "he" - see here and maybe listen and watch here too.

Then tripped over this too - Bugzy Malone and JP Cooper perform Ordinary People:

The Kinks (for those of you that remember this great band).

This is actually old news in that my wife and I had a great evening a month ago in Lincoln's New Theatre Royal with what's left (I thought, at least) of The original Kinks band and they call themselves The Kast Off Kinks but their renditions were as good as the big hits of the 1960s and 70s.

Not only are they calling themselves The Kast Off Kinks, but trying to establish, for me, who is who, and what is going on with The Kinks, seems too, to be cast in shadows.

For a start, the very distinctive face of the guy I remembered as the original band's lead singer (of whom I never remembered his name, but research tells me that it is Ray Davies) - I thought as he was not on stage in Lincoln, that maybe he was dead - but it turns out - he isn't. So that creates a mystery for me.

Glastonbury:
So, after, as ever, a bit of Googling around, I find that in 2010 (still with that distinctive face - and looking good, he, Ray Davies was singing the great hit and my personal favourite, "WATERLOO SUNSET" that, I, as a South Londoner, can never hear without being cast into deep emotional, nostalgic and thoughtful wanderings of the mind, reminiscing about my regular 'work walks' across the bridge when I worked just off Fetter Lane, within the diamond industry, on the north bank of The Thames near the legal [Inns of Court] and newspaper [Fleet Street] hearts of London). He was singing (with a good voice still) at Glastonbury with a massive supporting choir. Here it is (below):




At the time of the Glastonbury Festival in 2010 when Ray Davies played Waterloo Sunset, it was shortly after an original band member, Pete Quaife (bassist) had passed away and thus Davies dedicates his song to Pete and below is a poor video recording of Davies appearing at a memorial event for his former band colleague when to be honest he reveals that he sings better than he speaks publicly in my view (I hope that you can successfully comprehend what Davies is saying as I had difficulty myself):




Once you've seen the video above, now let me tell you how the plot thickens. I am speaking as a fan of The Kinks, not an aficionado, meaning I loved 'em but knew not much about them, either then, in the 1960s and 70s, nor now. What seems to be the reason for the feud that I intimated earlier is made a little clearer in a Telegraph article here.

During my roaming around The Net for research etc., I tripped over a young woman busking nearby Waterloo in London - uploaded to YouTube. - Worth hearing her singing Waterloo Sunset - got a good voice (and I love the violin backing and the acoustic guitar). Her name's Charlotte Campbell.




I suppose you should see and hear the band doing Waterloo Sunset live at The BBC in 1968 as a comparison to all the other versions:


I am always an emotional wreck when anything South London comes up as my life was in such turmoil when I grew up there into my adolescence and beyond. Thus, I was interested what gave The Kinks the idea of Waterloo Sunset. Here is the answer and within the exposé is the original soundtrack of their recorded single of Waterloo Sunset - which is far better than the live one.

Update 23-10-18:

If you Google around for The Kinks you'll find a surprising amount of interviews and biographical titbits about the band (as I have). I was tempted to add some of these (mostly YouTube items here as an extra section, but I think that this post is already very long and not every visitor will be a Kinks fan - so to summarise:

If you want more biographical information visit these items (and be aware that one or two marked with an asterisk are quite long time-wise:

• The Kinks (Biography Channel) * (45 mins)
• BBC interview from about three years ago (i.e. 2015).
• ITV brief biographical interview the day before Ray Diavies' knighthood being bestowed. It shows his North London origins.
• USA interview (with Dave Davies and a British interviewer). Painful ... * (28 mins)

Finally, finally, finally ...

You have to visit this website which gives a thorough and oh so interesting tour around North London in respect of The Kinks and the two brothers, Ray & Dave Davies. This is NOT to be missed.

The latest on health.

I'm only doing this as I am sitting here at just past 3 a.m. (again) after a period when I was managing to go through the night without significant sleep disturbance. The last couple of nights I have been back on the routine (as it was a month or so ago) of awaking at any time between 1.30 a.m. and 4.30 a.m. and failing, despite trying, to get back to sleep. I emphasise - I'm not an insomniac - although in fairness, because of my desire to write, I do find myself inclined to want to get up - just to write but generally I have never suffered from insomnia. What is causing my sleep disturbance is now, thank goodness, mild pain in my still frozen left shoulder, thus meaning that I cannot find a comfortable position to drop-off again.

Right now at 3.45 a.m. I am wide awake - just like in the normal daytime. I have made caffeinated Darjeeling tea (without a second thought) and a toasted bacon and tomato sandwich with brown sauce - to boot. Why? Because I refuse to get depressed or miserable about this ridiculous health issue that has befallen me. I'm not that old - am I? Isn't 69 the new 50? What have I got to worry about? Lovely 'ancient' cat somewhere around (he's just been out and back again, safely - whereas most of our gorgeous cats died variously usually at a young age but all from road accidents where motorists failed to act as I do whenever I drive and at all costs avoid wild and tame animals - I suspect that here little regard is paid to cats). "Eccles - where are you? Come on have a cuddle my friend." I've just given him a kiss and a cuddle and he's purring nicely. I removed his bright orange collar (which we only put on him when he goes out, as it tends to wear away his fur). He's a lovely 16 year old boy and we wonder if we should (again) get a kitten as 'back-up' for when he goes. He's unaccepting of any male cats and not keen on adult females either - all of which results in his spraying around the house in protest - so it's a difficult decision but I worry about when he goes (our great survivor) - we'll be devastated.

Well this is a strange health update that spends a paragraph talking about loved ones of the furry persuasion.

Health Update (at last):

1. Still have a frozen shoulder after about 4 months but it's improving in that I rarely get pain (except as explained sometimes at night). Movement is still restricted but better than it was.
2. I am having a third MRI this Friday (today being Wednesday 17th.) at Louth Hospital and I'm in trouble if the people ask what area of my body is to be MRI'd as I won't know (shoulder- backbone - whatever?).
3. I await an appointment for nerve testing (whatever that is).
4. In conclusion - its a slow process getting over this stuff.

The thing that does concern me is feeling tired all the time - even after a sleep. Well - enough of this!

I'm going to write another book - Work in progress (a reference in prep)

Good morning my imaginary friends (Mifs and never to be confused with Milfs which is entirely different) - swarming, as ever, around my blog, in impressive uncoupled numbers, even prime numbers so appropriate for prime people!

Here is Tim again, back into his old ways, typing away at "silly o'clock" but this time it's only partly because his aches and pains are playing-up (no I know, you're sick of hearing that stuff - so this won't even appear under the "Health" label).

So what's this all about? I hear you say Mifs.

I'm going to write another book.

I know what you're thinking - "another book" - where or what are the earlier ones? Well there are ones - yes - they sit around filed ready for publication to the highest bidder, once bidding starts. Apparently that is how real proper authors do it - they are so good that publishers clamber to get the rights to those author's books. Wow! Yes, I know also that the use of "real proper" is poor English but you know what I mean.

Anyway - enough of the blabber ...

I'm going to write a book about where I live (for those new Mifs, I should explain) - that's Lincolnshire - an obscure northern place described by my daughter as The Other Side Of The Moon, but then she lives 'down south' and all that goes with it.

I am aware that my work (authorship that is) is so good and in demand that I am taking a hell of a chance using my blog as a reference tool. Yes you're right - you're getting the hang of my humour (well I call it humour). Just assume that I am trying to be funny and you won't go far wrong. Trouble is, particularly up here, in The Frozen North and indeed in my own family circles most 'dipper-inners' are not properly geared-up for humour that one might call "dry humour". Stick with it, and me, dipper-inners and Mifs.

So a little more explanation is called for I think:

I am going to use my posts on my blog (entirely publicly available of course - ready for my ideas to be unashamedly stolen by the mass of visiting competitive authors looking for great ideas - like mine) as my own ad hoc reference point. How will this work (I'm working on that as I type)? I think that I will randomly (it has to be that way as I am right-brained - i.e. more creative than organised) put stuff hereabouts which I will then pull together off-line (meaning away from The Blog) and compile my book. I am a little reticent, actually, to telling you, my public (Mifs that is) what the book is about because it has a market and thus is worthy of theft. Visitors will inevitably grasp what the book is going to be about, the more they visit but I suppose, once I get a pattern, and a habit going, of content for the book, if I'm wise I'll stop putting stuff "out there" (on The Blog).

So today I am staring with a map (OS [Ordnance Survey] has kindly allowed me to reproduce it here as my blog is currently not a money making project). Why a map? Because I want anyone from other places (outside Lincolnshire that is) to know where the county is in relationship to some other places - like even London for example.

Yes, I know, it's not a great map and not very clear but it'll do for now.

The point of this map is to highlight aspects as follows (in no particular order):

• Lincolnshire is a large county (was even larger until North Lincolnshire and North-East Lincolnshire were created as separate administrative areas).
• It is about four or five times the size of Greater London and is due north of it.
• Lincolnshire population is about 1.75 million compared to Greater London being estimated to be approaching 9 million in 2018.
• Just looking at these stats one can see that Lincolnshire (as if you didn't know it) is a largely rural county and comparatively sparsely populated.
• The cost of housing and indeed living in Lincolnshire is very low indeed compared, for example, to London or any major city.
• An average house price in Lincolnshire is about £150K, being about a quarter of the average house price in London.
• There are property hotspots (being significantly more expensive) in Lincolnshire (attributable mostly to having better rail links to London) and they are at Grantham (west of county) and Stamford (south west of county). Woodhall Spa is somewhat 'up and coming' too but with poor commuting (no longer any rail service) which inhibits price inflation.
• What do people say or think about Lincolnshire? There are some interesting and funny comments on Mum's Net here 
• Why is Lincolnshire so cheap? - That's the million dollar question that I am going to provide an answer for (in due course).

Film - THE WIFE with Glenn Close (seen in Cleethorpes 10-10-18)

THE WIFE trailer below:



My wife was cool about this film, but I loved it but I could see that it would mostly be found boring but to me this highly conversational, low action movie was a psychological masterpiece and rang so true to life I thought.

I'd give it 8 out of 10 but be patient and concentrate on all the nuances in this unusual film.

Day out in the sunshine on the Yorkshire coast.

Robin Hood's Bay - Yorkshire coast.

It's rare of late for us to actually plan a day out but the forecast was excellent and we both missed our days out and we'd not had one for months. We'd had visits here and there but not longer distance whole days out.

We almost always go south, maybe around The Wash and often into Norfolk, so I thought going north might make a change and the Yorkshire weather forecast was as good as anywhere in The UK. I always got a kick out of crossing The Humber Bridge with my Humber Tag, so we could speed along without stopping at the toll booths - always a 'sad' thrill for me - so easily pleased.

So, Wednesday October 10th. we set off for Robin Hood's Bay (RHB) - a place I'd only read about but heard favourable reports of.

I had a rather full on day outlined in my mind as RHB was just south of Whitby (which we love - so there was always a chance that we'd do Whitby as well, except that, to us, no Whitby trip was complete without fish and chips and a North Sea boat trip). Bizarrely we were to end-up with an entirely fishy day, starting with kippers for breakfast, smoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches for an early lunch and Cleethorpes fish and chips about 6.30 p.m.

We selected the so-named "short route" on SatNav for our return which was noted, weirdly,  as about 5 miles longer than the "fastest route" and went through Bridlington where we actually did what old people do - we sat on a bench in gardens overlooking the crashing waves, drank the last of the coffee and afterwards continued our journey via Beverley in thick town traffic (just about the time and place a fatal crash of a light aircraft occurred (as we heard the next day). Late afternoon, we intentionally dropped by our friend who'd just had a knee replacement operation at St Hugh's private Hospital in Grimsby, We missed the early early evening film show in Cleethorpes being a provisional idea, so we went for a drink at a pub full of atmosphere, on the prom' in Cleethorpes, met an older man walking the coast and as a last effort, saw a film , "The Wife" with Glenn Close (see my review post) at the exceptionally late time of almost 9 p.m.

The cinema staff must have been annoyed - we were the only customers and we only bought tickets two minutes before the start. I made a few rude suggestions about what we could get up to in this empty screen cinema, not particularly appreciated, I think.

I loved the film but my wife thought it mediocre. I thought how it wouldn't be too difficult for the key male character to be me and the main female one to be my wife. He was a writer, she a long-suffering supporter.

We got home, exhausted, about midnight.

RHB was a delightful place and we'll visit again.

(Own photos and video to follow soon.)

Those we loved when it was too late including Freddie Mercury (Queen), Robin Williams and Amy Winehouse

When I did my last post (just an hour or two ago) it made me think about people we lose - famous people. I have a terrible habit of just getting into people (their style or performances) immediately after the inconsiderate people 'pop-off'. Some indeed cast their own demise like poor Robin Williams and Amy Winehouse.

So here's a bit of a tribute to these three at least ...

Firstly, FREDDIE MERCURY of QUEEN:

This One Show semi-documentary tells us a bit more about Freddie's background etc.:



Then there's the sad loss of Amy Winehouse. Here she is singing one of my (now) favourite songs of hers "Love is a Losing Game" (not a true statement necessarily but boy is it painful when it becomes a true statement as I know only too well). When she was alive, I hardly knew of her - certainly nothing she ever did attracted my attention - so what the hell was I doing? She's amazing and now she'll never be around to do more. Such a waste! Why didn't anyone see it coming and stop her - console her - poor woman.



I had always loved Robin Williams - in films, on TV but most of all when he was being interviewed, with that razor-sharp wit of his. - Again what a sad waste of life.

See what you think of this (in two parts but I am only showing the first):

Montserrat Caballé, Barcelona opera singer, dies at 85

Of course we've already lost Freddie Mercury and now he's followed by his co-performer of Barcelona. I love most opera but I admit, other than her famous performance with Freddie (of Queen) - I'd never really heard of Montserrat Caballé but you couldn't help but be impressed by her voice. She had a stereotypical appearance for an opera singer and yet that large size did not seem to limit her longevity particularly which was fortunate, as she died aged 85.

Below is what many of us associate her with:




I am looking forward to seeing the new film out shortly about Queen. Here's the trailer:

Good luck Rosie

Our friend is away soon for a few days. When she returns she'll be 'a new woman' - or at least part of her will be.

This is to wish you good luck from the author of this blog!

 

Onward, upward, reach for the clouds!

For our friend Nick Price - something else very French - Edith Piaf

This is for you Nick (who lived in France and was once married to a 'native') to engage you a little whilst missing your loving 'new' wife whilst she is away for a few days.

This is not a well-produced film but it does go some way to telling us all about the tragic life of one Edith Piaf who, a bit like the recently departed Charles Aznavour - was something of a French national treasure - some would say - The French National Treasure (who died in 1963). We're coming up, in a few days, to the 55th. anniversary of her death and this film was made to commemorate the 50th. anniversary.

Were you living there then Nick? I doubt it - I rather think maybe you were then in Oz.

Let the man be French (Charles Aznavour - who can get enough of him now he's gone?).

Let him sing some duets in French ...

Firstly with an old favourite - a very French woman who I'd almost forgotten that I loved in the 1980s - Mariel Mathieu:



Just a little more (I don't know her - Nolwenn Leroy - but she's good) ...

Charles Aznavour dies

Well, aged 94, and passing away in the bath, is my idea of Heaven. I loved the man (of Armenian origins) , his voice, the emotion and expression in his voice but before anything else lets hear his voice ...



And more ... an interview (nearly half an hour with the first minute or so in a foreign language):




Personally I prefer "Yesterday When I was Young" but have a look here and get six of the best (at the BBC).

I'm not keen on that Facebook-style thing of: RIP so I'll simply say ...

Thank you our Froggie friend.

Before you go ... there's more you need to know about Mr. Aznavour (especially if, unlike myself, you are Jewish). The linked article includes links to more songs.

Nowt as queer as folk (as is said, not just in Yorkshire)

Why are people so strange? (So peculiar and odd?)

Is it a coincidence that the word, "STRANGER" is almost identical to "strange"? Have you ever been treated like a stranger, when not (a stranger)?

The following is an outline of a public event that my wife and I attended yesterday - I won't name the event or location as it's irrelevant to this post which is about human beings and how they interact and why (should we ever establish why) they do the things they do that are so very distasteful.

Setting - let's just say that it was a literary event lasting a couple of hours (but we left a little before its scheduled finish).

People - event organised by a minor author with guest speakers that should have been 4 (including the organiser and 3 female authors of varying status/profile). One was absent, so three spoke briefly about themselves and then read out a chapter of one of their publications (typically from a book that they had written).

I half-predicted who might attend (turn up) and I got it fairly right. I used to attend a couple of writers' groups based in a large town adjacent to The Lincolnshire Wolds (he says, wondering slightly why he is being a little mysterious and elusive ...). The leaders (2) and their respective partners (2 - of course) were there. The leader of one group (the organiser of the event) whom I felt I had had a good straightforward relationship with, acted in, what I would say was an entirely normal way and indeed the second she spotted me arrive, she greeted me quite warmly, I felt, and we introduced our respective 'other halves'. - So no issues there ... We sat nearby the partner of the organiser and he was as one might hope for, chatty, open and warm (although I noticed that he 'disappeared' about halfway through - maybe to the venue's main bar?). - I wondered if it may, in any way, reflect his take on some of the attendees (which included the leader and partner of a 'competitive' local writers' group of whom I will write further in a moment).

Nearby where I and my wife were seated (towards the rear) were two ladies (woman and wife) of whom I knew, one being pretty much a regular at one of the writers' groups (that was uninvolved in this event's organisation). They too spoke quite easily and pleasantly and openly. Also, as I walked in, another of that group's attendees spotted me, said "hello" (reminded me of her name, which, embarrassingly, I had forgotten, as I had not attended that group for many months and never would I be returning, as I think all knew).

So here's the point:

In walks four people (rather later than virtually all others and a little after the event was due to start, (although it hadn't started). They are - the leader of other writers' group, a tall man aged about 65 with long, over-the-ears tightly-curled, if not 'permed', rather dishevelled hair, his partner (a woman) aged about 60, looking rather Civil Servant-like and serious-faced, followed by a group attendee (and I am certain, good social friend of the aforementioned couple) and, finally her rather 'neutral', amiable, easy-going (possibly long-suffering, I rather thought, whilst trying not to sound 'bitchy') other half. All four took in the room's contents, i.e. naturally taking in the human content rather more than the room's inanimate objects, I would assume. All four 'clocked' me and immediately (I mean in a flash - a nanosecond) turned away before I could even get a communication towards my vocal cords (should I be so inclined) to mouth the words "hello" or "hi" or maybe even wave hello. They either looked straight ahead or at the opposite wall or to the presentation area - anywhere but at me (or my wife). They acknowledged many others and spoke to a few as they grabbed seats as far away from me as possible, right at the front.

My wife commented afterwards how "gay" the man (the group leader) looked as he walked in, apparently, as she described, with his pelvic area forced a little forward of the rest of his body. He lived permanently with a woman, had children (I believe with another) and I had never had similar thoughts to my wife's observations and I had not seen his posture as she apparently did. - But her comments were thought-provoking certainly.

So, in case you didn't pick up on my account - I was being very very obviously shunned by at least the group leader, his partner and certainly their female friend. Regarding the female friend - she has a very unusual name - I won't share it - but if you heard it you may, like me, misunderstand the name and possibly misspell it too. I remember months earlier asking her about her name, explaining to her that I thought that it was different from what she subsequently told me it was - and I recall her utter disdain and her very dismissive body language which said to me "oh you wouldn't know would you ..." (indicating that she had me down as a 'nincompoop' and something of a lesser being. - This attitude purveyed through all three of these people I felt during my many months of attending that group and I tolerated it because I felt that I could get something out of the attendance there, rather despite of them. I didn't get much though - except maybe a lesson in tolerance of misplaced self-worth expressed by the organisers.

Not once during the one and a half hours did any of these three exchange so much as a fleeting glance in my direction, let alone any words of warmth or acknowledgemen (you have to remember that the couple that led the group had been guests in my house). I was being studiously and conspiratorially 'sent to Coventry' (as the saying goes).

For me, I noted all this odd, strange and stranger (in, of course, more than one sense) experience but even though somewhat saddened I was determined not to reveal any annoyance (as I rather think that they would have lapped that up). Instead I engaged in chatting to that majority around me that were 'normal', pleasant and amiable.

So the point of this post is to highlight a couple of things:

1. Obviously that there's nowt as queer as folk or that there's maybe even more nowt as queer as folk.
2. The curiosity that some behaviour presents in the person on the receiving end of that attempted marginalisation (that'll be me).

May I take a moment more of your time (Little Imaginary Reader - LIR) ? You, as you may recall used to be referred to as LLR (Little Lonely Reader) but one regular blog visitor got upset, told me so, with a lot of expletives, and then left, never to be seen again (or maybe he will come back when he's cooled-off).  You can read more about that scenario by looking under the label "Apologies".

So here's my question:

What don't they like about me? - Or what did I do that offended? - Or where did I go wrong? - I'll never actually know, but I do, and have, speculated of course ...

In my opinion they think that they form the local "Intelligentsia"; The crème de la crème intellectually and culturally of the Lincolnshire Middle Class. Maybe they see me as not a local - an incomer (even though they are somewhat too). Maybe they see me as an upstart. Who knows really (and does it even matter)?

What does perturb me though (and I see myself as an empathiser, even a sympathiser - as a type of person) - what drives anyone to be like this? - It's not nice. Some  might even say that it was very cruel (only if it upset me). It bemuses me rather than upsets me.

In conclusion: - NOT NICE PEOPLE are they? Comments?

The picture above may be fitting. - A group of delicate fairies (- no, not that kind - sweet little fluttery things full of openness and innocence) attracted in by the light of the candle but, they, being 'set-up' to burn and shrivel and die - an agonising death by the nasty people that lured them in for their own malicious, surreptitious benefit or dubious gratification - rather as I was when I joined a writers' group (that writers' group), attracted by what I may have thought was 'enlightenment'. I hope that you find that picture as thought provoking as I do ...

South Ormsby Hall (visit Saturday September 29th. 2018)

South Ormsby Hall is 'in private hands', owned by Mr. & Mrs. Jon and Jan Thornes and if one does simple Google searches regarding Mr. Thornes's background almost all of what one will find reflects his success in numerous businesses. My own description of the man that bought South Ormsby Hall and its 3,000 acre estate, lock stock & barrel (speculated at the price of between £20M/£25M) is that he represents "new money" compared to the last aristocratic 'squire' owner, Adrian Massingberd-Mundy (who died in 2012) who was 'old school' and 'old money'. I'm not saying either one is better than the other, just that their lifestyles are so very different (in my estimation).

As a "Friend Of South Ormsby" I was able to pay (only £5 per head) to visit the Hall and the gardens and our tour was led by Ms. Caron Ementon, a former Head Teacher but now working for The Estate as their Heritage Interpreter and Administrator. Her tour was very well organised, researched and presented and gave a great insight into the Estate's history.

Reading between the lines one picks-up locally that there is obviously some controversy over the plans that the relatively new owner has for The Estate which include the building of a quite large number of houses and the establishing of many businesses within The Estate. Personally, when I attended, some months ago, an exhibition, on Mr. Thornes's "Vision for the Future" I thought his plans were good and would sustain The Estate and probably ultimately make him a lot of money too (much of which he'll need to restore the Hall etc.). The only thing that puts people off the idea of making money is usually something called envy and I would guess that some opposition to his proposals relate to people that are envious of his success and potential further success. I speak as something of a natural anti-Tory as I am generally inclined, politically, to the left, but I am also of the view that old estates need to be viable and there's nothing wrong with enterprise in my book. He (Mr. Thornes) has already created a number of jobs at The Estate and some of his employees, if not all, will be tasked to be self-generating of the income that they are in receipt of. In other words, they'll need to earn their keep by bringing in more business (and businesses) to the whole operation - the brand. My only reservation is that I hope that the character and landscape - the look of The Estate - will not be jeopardised but enhanced.

The Hall is run-down and in need major renovation (some of which is already underway). It is described, I am sure, correctly, as Palladian architecture (I as a former London Blue Badge Guide did plenty of study on architectural styles) but to my mind it is not very typical. When I think of Andrea Palladio's style of architecture, I think of very grand classically-styled places like The White House (in The States), The Queen's House at Greenwich, Chiswick House in West London, and the most impressive building that I recall from my (West Country) tour guiding days was Prior Park (Ralph Allen's home) in Bath, none of which look at all like South Ormsby Hall (SOH), except perhaps in symmetry, but I reckon the differences are because SOH is red brick and not the more common stucco style of render that I associate with many grand Palladian buildings.

I took copious notes during my visit for my own interest and some of them are translated (and I mean really - deciphered) below in a random, non-prioritised, bulleted note form, I am fully aware that many points that one might wish to know, like dates of what occurred when, are absent, but I will add information as and when I can substantiate it:

• Adrian Massingberd-Mundy (the Estate's former owner) resided with his partner - a woman by the name of Sara Perceval. She was a dress designer to many famous people like Shirley Bassey, Dame Barbara Cartland (who introduced the couple to each other) and Rod Stewart (although I guess for something other than dresses). They never married, nor had any children. Adrian's only sibling, his sister, too, had no children, hence the 'end of the line' as it were.
• In The Hall is a photo by Tony Snowdon (Princess Margaret's high society photographer husband) of Sara Perceval. He allegedly said to her when presenting the photo "Rather glamorous - not like you at all, Sara." - Sounds to me exactly what he might have said by the way of a back-handed compliment (any documentaries one might catch that include him tend to reveal his sense of humour).
• The primary architect of South Ormsby Hall was James Paine who also did parts of Chatsworth House
• Peter Atkinson made some alterations at The Hall including adding the entrance doric-capital columns (that are in a poor way, one very obviously disintegrating, and requiring restoration urgently I would say).
• William Kent (whom I was familiar with and whom I used to lecture many years ago at The National Maritime Museum where the incredibly ornate Royal Barge [that he designed] was housed) was also involved in some design aspects of South Ormsby Hall.
• The Massingberds (c 1638) when they settled at The Estate were pioneering farmers introducing new ideas to agriculture. The owner's brother owned and resided at Gunby Hall (now owned by National Trust) about ten miles away near Skegness. their joint family estates covered hundreds of square miles of Mid Lincolnshire when at their peak in the 18th century.
• The 18th. century family at South Ormsby - an outline is shown here.
• Possibly the largest painting of note in The Hall is a portrait of Anne Blackall (wife of Charles Burrell Massingberd) by the well-known artist, Angelica Kaffmann - a founder member of the RA (Royal Academy of Art) London. To my mind, this (although most members of today's tour group agreed that the painting was highly out of proportion), is certainly a very valuable painting (along with many others) and bear in mind that the purchase of The Estate by Jon Thornes was "lock, stock and barrel" hence he acquired an unknown vast quantity of (in some cases) still to be catalogued, artifacts from paintings to library books to furniture so - a wealth of 'stock' still of indeterminate value to The Estate.
• The staircase is carved by William Lumby and represents one of the finest Georgian staircases certainly found anywhere in the county of Lincolnshire.
• Estate's Facebook page (I don't do FB by the way).
• Historic England's listing here. 
• William Oswald Massingberd (Rector) wrote a book entitled: History of the Parish of Ormsby-Cum-Ketsby in the Hundred of Hill and County of Lincoln. There is a copy in Louth Library and it can be commercially obtained here and here as well as other sources.
• There's a lot of useful information at the Layers of History website here (that has connections with The South Ormsby Estate).

The information supplied by Ms. Ementon on our tour was vast and interestingly presented and regrettably much is missing from the above random list owing to the fact that walking whilst jotting is a somewhat daunting and difficult task.

I did take a video of the garden area (including one of the two Hall cats) but, as ever, the film was too big for Mr. Google to permit me uploading it - sorry! I may try to upload it to YouTube later on and provide a link here.

Here's some pictures (possibility of more being added from time to time):

Some reference points regarding the owner, Mr Jon Thornes, and of The South Ormsby Estate:

• A business article here.
• An article concerning the proposed gin distillery in Driby (part of The Estate as I understand it) is here. 
• Lincolnshire Live article about the proposed new homes building on The Estate is here. 
• Information on The Lincs Wolds website is here.

- Probably will be considered unrelated - but I thought I'd include it - an obituary of Hugh Massingberd (and at the time of writing I know not who he was, other than that he was The Telegraph's obituary writer (humour?), but with that Massingberd surname, I rather think that he will be, or was, related to the former owner of South Ormsby Estate - Mr Adrian Massingberd-Mundy.

Another reference to Hugh Massingberd here in an article. Note he also wrote many books including, in 1988, his book: Country houses and their owners.

This article (written just after the death of the previous incumbent in 2012) makes fascinating reading all about the family and even the will in some detail.