Hannah Rowan Hollier born at 00.14 the morning of Thursday 24th February (photo: Richard Baddeley)

After the excitement on Thursday I went to London for the afternoon - Birmingham Snow Hill to Marylebone ... dawdling for my 10.14 train to London, I decided to photo myself alongside the statue between the platforms. A professor of dentistry with a classy camera asked to take a picture of me taking a selfie. He emailed it to me and but edited it with eyes askance in B & W on his Flickr stream.

With John McKenna's Commuter at Snow Hill Station (photo: Damien Walmsley).

From Marylebone I cycled north towards Hornsey to see Francis Niemczyk. I wanted a touch-look-talk at his place - to view the kit he's using to synchronise the ageing 16mm film and 1/4" reel-to-reel tape from my stepfather's archive of Out of Town programmes. Round Regents Park it was still sunny but humid. The forecast rain clouds were gathering. Kentish Town Road, Fortress Road, Junction Road to Archway, and urban heat brought the overcast to breaking point. There was lightning and thunder and on Hornsey Rise - a downpour; rivulets riding down the gutters; vehicles fecklessly throwing up sheets of drenching spray I dodged by walking the pavements until I could shelter below a petrol station canopy; dispense myself a milky coffee and choc cookie, before free-wheeling down Crouch End Hill, through the Broadway and along Park Road to Francis' side street. He's on night shift these days, sleeping from about 8.00am to 4.00pm. I followed him through the house to his garden shed so's I could see the kit he's using on the film and tape [links to the back story - the material and my journey to collect it from the West Country in April 2010)

The process of restoring the material I inherited from my stepfather is taking time. It's nearly a year since the first synchronisation (actually the second, as the restored episode that gave me the original idea of what might be done, was completed in May 2010 by Roger Charlesworth at SWFTA). Although we now have a list of the tapes that go with the films and Lin and I, in June 2013, duct taped a dozen pairs of tapes and film, based on the numbers pasted on them at SWFTA, and had five of these pairs taken to London for Francis to work on, only one pair has yet been synchronised. This sample, just over for four minutes, has been done perfectly, and gives an idea of what's involved.

A trailer from the JH archive from Simon Baddeley on Vimeo.

The restoration process is nothing if not tricky, painstaking; even tedious.
"The atmos sound's not a problem but the spot sounds - like a hammer blow or a gate shutting - are"said Francis. He's lots of other film work, hitches with his machines, and he needs to work nights ... We discussed the possibility that after he's synchronised the next two pairs of sound tapes and film over the next fortnight, he focus on digitising sound tape and film and leaves the synchronisation for the moment. Then I suggested we see if it's possible to enlist additional helpers - people who might not have the technology or the skills to transfer the delicate 16mm film and the reel-to-reel sound tapes to DVDs, but do have the craft and perseverance required to work on synchronising the digitised sound to the digitised image on the archive material if provided with pairs of DVDs for each episode. One volunteer has described this in an email to Francis:

Hello Francis. My name is ***. I live in Maryland and became acquainted with Simon Baddeley and his efforts to rescue heretofore neglected and forgotten Out of Town material through his group on Facebook. 

One of the obvious problems Simon faces is the enormous amount of time and potential expense of stitching back together Stan Bréhaut’s MOS material with Jack’s extant recorded narratives. While Simon has made us aware of some of the technical challenges (e.g. sometimes having to time compress or dilate the narrative to match the flow of the picture), much of the effort appears to be the grunt work of cleaning up noise and persistently fiddling with the timing to get a good match.

Several of us in the circle of Jack’s fans have the digital tools and experience to be able to help with this on a volunteer basis, once the original digitalizations  are made. I suggested to Simon that he might farm out some of this raw material to us to accomplish some of the tedium. The would be little risk in trying this as all that would be passed to us are working copies of the original rips – and they can easily be passed to and worked on anywhere in the world. 

For myself, I was involved with website production for about 15 years which did involve a fair bit of video and sound editing & have use of a fairly powerful machine and the complete Adobe CS6 suite of software. For sound I move back & forth between Sony & Adobe, depending on the tools needed.
You are the one in the position to digitalize the precious originals and to judge which pieces require your technical expertise and which can be passed on to patient and reasonably capable enthusiasts. 

I am suggesting the following process for yours and Simon’s comment and discussion:

1. Proceed with mass digitalization of material before getting involved with the editing of individual pieces.

2. Do whatever tape to picture pairing can be done or identify a range of possibilities.

3. Provide reasonably detailed technical specifications for the finished product,

4. Send out pairs of rips to potential volunteers & let us do an “apprentice pieces” to see if further cooperation with this or that volunteer has potential.

Perhaps this will free you up to do the most challenging work and let the project progress in a more timely and economical way.

Thanks for your attention & I look forward to your reply. If you think it a go, we can arrange a telephone chat. Cheers, ***

From Hornsey I cycled south - knowing I can never get lost in London - ending up on the Holloway Road, then Camden Road where the rain returned more persistently and I had to shelter in a bus stop where I continued reading my Harris on Dreyfus, pondering the character of George Piquard, the author's interesting narrator,  as successive buses loaded and unloaded wet passengers until a let up...

Passing through Camden Town on Friday evening

You asked for my suggestions; I replied. If you don't want the facts don't ask for them. Obviously, you are way out of your depth. I find it sad that someone whom claims to have degrees resorts to a website to publish their thoughts. If you can't contribute according to our norms, take your ball and go home. Chris Troutman (talk) 23:44, 23 July 2014 (UTC)

Chris, Such an intemperate and, frankly rude response is unacceptable. You owe Simon an apology. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 13:38, 24 July 2014 (UTC)

Chris, you have a reputation for speaking bluntly, but I have not seen you behave rudely before. I ask you to consider your words to Simon and make proper overtures to him regarding them and your behaviour in this thread. Even when we have a strongly held opinion we may not express it rudely. Fiddle Faddle 13:56, 24 July 2014 (UTC)

@Pigsonthewing: @Timtrent: So you two have been called upon because my "rather didactic advice" offends someone? Here's some more didactic advice for everyone: WP:PRIMARY and WP:SPS describe this letter as a primary source of questionable verifiability. Without provenance, I think the letter is problematic at best. My degree is in history. The study of history teaches us that a letter written contemporaneously to the subject period is a primary source. Primary sources are not to be used in tertiary sources because they require secondary source analysis, which is meant for qualified individuals, not hobbyists.

On wiki all editors are hobbyists; no one here is an expert even if they really are. Wikipedia is not set up with "verified" accounts; therefore, editors cannot argue from a position of authority. I don't take the word of anyone online, anyway. On Wikipedia we argue the facts independent of users.

Sibadd came to my talk page and asked for my advice. I provided it. That user chose to then argue with me about same and complain when my response was brusque. I didn't nominate anything for deletion or threaten to interfere. I didn't even raise an issue on the article's talk page. I registered an opinion and I wasn't degrading, demeaning, or hostile when doing so (in my opinion). And yes, Timtrent, I will be just as vehement in person; I find such intimation otherwise to be insulting. Sibadd's argument about the letter holds no water with me and I don't understand why a user that's been registered since 2006 doesn't understand these policies, guidelines, and essays or my reaction to their argument. While I have been trying to attract academics to Wikipedia as a Campus Ambassador, I reinforce the clear understanding that Wikipedia is functionally different. I don't care if you hold the Lucasian chair, you're just another editor cobbling together secondary sources on wiki. I do find it sad when academics mistake Wikipedia as an alternative. Adrianne Wadewitz never did that; she contributed encyclopedic knowledge and adhered to our rules, as we all should.

I am disappointed that for the amount of time I take considering how to respond, toning-down my initial response, and assuming good faith that I'm still perceived as some kind of reckless bomb-thrower. So, if my response doesn't meet your needs, take it to a noticeboard. I'd be content with an IBAN from all interested parties.Chris Troutman (talk) 02:22, 25 July 2014 (UTC)

I had not expected a rationale for rudeness to be attempted. I have no issue with your opinion being held strongly, nor with that opinion being expressed assertively. I have an issue with your rudeness to the editor. You can be as blunt as you wish up to but not passing the point of rudeness. I don't care one fig for anyone's degrees. I don't care whether the letter is out or in. I don't care about the article, though I care about articles. I do care about the way people behave towards others. I very much doubt I will say more on the matter in a timely manner, I am travelling today and tomorrow. After that the matter will have cooled and not be helped by being re-raised, so I think any further response form me will be unwarranted. I simply express my surprise and distaste for your behaviour, and for your reinforcing it. It is not your message I quarrel with; it is one you are entitled to deliver. It is your mode of delivery. Fiddle Faddle 05:05, 25 July 2014 (UTC)

...we need to create an online culture in which every person can participate in an open and rational exchange of ideas and information without fear of being the target of unwarranted abuse, harassment or lies. 

"Όσοι βρεθήκαμε το απόγευμα της Πέμπτης (24-7) στην Αγία Παρασκευή, πρέπει να αισθανθήκαμε λίγο καλύτεροι. Λίγο πιο ανεβασμένοι.Από τη μια μεριά οι ενεργές δυνάμεις του χωριού με επικεφαλής το ΔΣ της Φιλαρμονικής μας και ο παπα-Κώστας με τους Επιτρόπους της Εκκλησίας να δουλεύουν για να είναι το πανηγύρι της Παρασκευής 25-7 όσο το δυνατό καλύτερο. Από την άλλη, Κορακιανίτες αλλά και πολιτογραφημένοι Κορακιανίτες (λόγω γάμων) να επισκέπτονται και να περιποιούνται τα μνήματα των αγαπημένων τους, που δεν είναι πλέον μαζί μας. Η ζωή σε μια ολοκληρωμένη στιγμή της. Οι ζωντανοί με τους κοιμηθέντες, αλλ’ όχι μηδενισμένους, όπως βεβαιώνει η Εκκλησία μας. «Ουκ έστι θάνατος τοις δούλοις σου Κύριε, εκδημούντων ημών από του σώματος και προς σε τον Θεόν ενδημούντων, αλλά μετάστασις από των λυπηροτέρων επί τα χρηστότερα και θυμηθέστερα και ανάπαυσις και χαρά».Έχουμε το προνόμιο να ζούμε σε ένα από τα ομορφότερα χωριά της Κέρκυρας. Και έχουμε ακόμη ένα προνόμιο μικρότερο μεν, αλλά εξίσου σημαντικό: να συναντιόμαστε μια φορά το χρόνο, στο πανηγύρι της Αγίας Παρασκευής, μόνιμοι κάτοικοι του χωριού, ξενιτεμένοι και όσοι πέρασαν στην απέναντι όχθη και αναπαύονται στο κοιμητήριο της Αγίας. Και να γιορτάζουμε. Όλοι μαζί. "We are privileged to live in one of the prettiest villages in Corfu . And we still have a duty smaller but equally important: to meet once a year, during the festival of Agia Paraskevi, permanent residents, expatriates and those who have passed to the other side and rest in the cemetery of of the Saints.. And to celebrate. All together. Να θυμόμαστε και να γιορτάζουμε.Μην αφήσουμε να παρακμάσει αυτό το γεγονός, που πιθανόν να είναι μοναδικό στο Νησί μας. Πέρα όμως από τη φροντίδα να συνεχίσουμε αυτή τη σύναξη, δεν πρέπει να μας ξεφεύγει και το ασθενές σημείο της Κορακιανίτικής Κοινωνίας. Τις προβληματικές πολλές φορές σχέσεις μας. Τις τριβές και τις ρήξεις που δημιουργούνται ανάμεσά μας. Στους απλούς κατοίκους, αλλά πολλές φορές και ανάμεσα στους φορείς του χωριού.Στο χωριό έχουμε πετύχει πολλά και η Κορακιάνα κατέχει υψηλή θέση στην Κοινή Γνώμη της Κέρκυρας. Αν δεν είχαμε και το πρόβλημα σχέσεων, θα μπορούσαμε να πετυχαίναμε πολλά περισσότερα.Δεν είμαστε υποχρεωμένοι να αρέσουμε σε όλους. Ούτε είναι απαραίτητο να μας αποδέχονται όλοι. Όμως, χάριν του κοινού καλού και της προόδου της Κορακιάνας (που εμείς θα εισπράξουμε εν τέλει) έχουμε χρέος να κάνουμε πάντα ένα minimum υπέρβασης. Θα είναι μια ανάπαυση και χαρά για όλους μας. Ντόπιους, επισκέπτες, εξ αγχιστείας συγχωριανούς που βρίσκονται συχνά στο χωριό. Θα γίνονται οι μέρες της διαμονής μας στην Κορακιάνα (μόνιμη ή για διακοπές) ανεπανάληπτης ευχαρίστησης και ανεφοδιασμού των ψυχικών μας αντιστάσεων. Ιδίως σε μέρες θλίψεως, όπως αυτές που ζούμε.Όλα αυτά αφορούν περισσότερο τους απαισιόδοξους που νοιώθουν (και δίκαια) απομονωμένοι και αποξενωμένοι.Τέρμα στη θλίψη. Βρισκόμαστε σε φάση αλλαγής σελίδας (πιστεύω) στην ζωή του χωριού, μετά τις πρόσφατες αυτοδιοικητικές εκλογές.Οι νέοι «άρχοντες» θέλουν. Έχουν όμως ανάγκη την βοήθεια ΟΛΩΝ μας. Μη την αρνηθούμε."  ΣΠΥΡΟΣ Π. ΣΑΒΒΑΝΗΣ Υ.Γ. (του korakiana.gr). Πετυχημένο ήταν και το φετινό πανηγύρι που διοργάνωσε η Φιλαρμονική στο χώρο της Αγίας Παρασκευής. Πολύς ο κόσμος, ωραία η νυχτερινή ατμόσφαιρα, νόστιμα τα ψητά εδέσματα. Μιας πρώτης τάξεως ευκαιρία συνάντησης αλλήλων….Μοναδική παράλειψη, μια καμμένη λάμπα στο μονοπάτι, που οδήγησε τον Πρόεδρο του Συνεταιρισμού…στο σφάλο (έπεσε στη σφαλιά) !!

Oliver and his new sister, Hannah

Sister and brother

Dear Simon / Dean. Thank you for the messages from you both a couple of days' ago: please accept my apologies for the delay in replying to you, but have just finished a stint of night shifts and have only just had the chance to catch you on my e-mails.
Am very happy to collaborate in the way you outline Dean. However, I do not currently have a pc capable of sending the data files for the sound and video transfers. However, perhaps Simon has the facilities to downland from the digibeta tape (i.e. Digital Betacam) transfers that I am currently in the process of making - and sending to Simon - of the 16mm film material and audio recordings of the commentary by Jack (could supply other formats than digibeta tape for Simon to send to Dean - e.g., DV / DVCAM tape or DVD transfers if that's easier for Simon to send). In any case, it's not a bad idea to have 'archive' tape copies of the raw sound and picture material anyway as a 'safety copy' of the original material, digibeta probably being the best format for this, being of full broadcast quality. One other point to mention is that the transfers I am making are of the British PAL 625-line / 50 Hz video standard, as opposed to the American NTSC 525-line / 60 Hz (or 59.94 Hz, to be pedantic) video standard. Possibly this may not be an issue for you Dean as you would be effectively working with data files? Best wishes, Francis 

Dear Francis and Dean. Can you arrive at an optimal way to proceed? I rather imagined myself collecting a pair of DVDs from you Francis, representing the digitised film and sound tape from one episode, and then being able to send that pair by land-mail to Dean in US or others in the UK.  Is it more complicated? Of course (:)) Best wishes, Simon

I can certainly make DVDs (or extra DVDs) of the film and sound transfers for you to post to Dean if the two of you are happy with that arrangement Simon: from my point-of view, it would actually be the easiest arrangement.
As I say, the DVDs would be of the British PAL video system: it is possible to convert PAL to the American NTSC video standard (or vice versa) but there will be some loss of quality in the conversion process. Best wishes, Francis 

I would certainly like to keep the process as straightforward as possible. DVD transfers passed through the post would work. If I had to make a wish it would be that if the dvd-transfer process in place could be make mpeg2 files instead of vob files, it would simplify things on this end. Here’s an explanation of that. Vob’s would be okay of that’s what’s practicable. The sound file format isn’t that important if it isn’t too lossy. Dean 

Hi Simon. One critical factor at the cottage is going to be the skip. I can organise a skip locally, but prior to Saturday 02Aug14:-
1) We are going to need to get permission from the owners of the grassed area shown on the attached proposal.
2) We will need the skip to be co-ordinated with meeting Adam on Saturday morning at 9:00am.
3) The crockery etc in the kitchen that Lin may wish to keep needs to be boxed up so that it can be put away upstairs.
4) If you're going down to the cottage to do this, get the name (and number) of the skip hire company that is there at the moment (for the shop) - it's always written on the side of the skip.
5) Furniture being retained will have to be identified. The mattresses will have to be thrown away. Any items of furniture not required needs to be identified or put outside.
On the first Saturday morning, the first floor will be swept and vacuumed, the step to the main bedroom repaired, the windows weather-sealed and the furniture being retained will be put upstairs.
Everything else will be stripped out and discarded.
Are you & Lin able to do items 1-5 by then ?
Martin X

Dear Martin and family! You work fast. I so like that.  Here in Handsworth lots of people accord to the stereotype of olde country ways despite being in the middle of a buzzing city.
A skip we ordered today for clear up in Handsworth....Deep vexation with the delay and bribe-seeking drivers (“Can’t get in there, mate, more than my job's... etc”).  I decided to dispense with this company's services, but not until the man had unloaded his skip, then I asked for a discount on his whole day charge given his four hour delivery delay on a skip promised at 10.30am, meant we had the skip for less than 2 hours. He said ‘Take or leave it” I said “Leave it” and enjoyed watching him have to back the skip truck into an awkward space and take ti away empty. No work from us ever again.
Phil at the stores in Lydbrook owns that piece of land. I’ve just phoned him. He happily permits us to have a skip delivered to that spot on that date. He suggests phoning the day before in case there’s been an avalanche or flooding.  (Phil, Central Stores, GL17 9SA phone: 01594 860 302) I will do that.
The existing skip is one Phil has hired from Bell Waste 01594 542103. I phoned them. They only deliver/collect weekdays. No problem. We will order end of next week once Adam is quite sure 2/8/14 is a confirmed ‘go’. We will pay them over the phone. They say "don’t worry as we have loads of skips"
Lin and I say “Yes”  to 1-5. We will go down in the week before 2 August  to do the things required as well as being there on 2 August; possibly not on the dot at 9.00am but I will make sure the cottage door is open (prob leave it open after we’ve been there earlier).
Love Lin Simon 

That late skip

Sunrise in Lydbrook

Kerne Bridge

Sandra and Adam at her wedding to Martin

Simon, Adam and Martin on Summer Song the first time the family visited us in Greece

Lin and Sandra in Ano Korakiana

Rock Cottage on Saturday

"What's got to go upstairs" Starting the sort

The rubble in the garden

Adam and Jack with our skip beginning to fill

Sealing round the windows

Hi Martin, Thought you might like to see how hard Adam and Jack worked at the cottage - see photo proof attached. Seriously though, they were fantastic and worked really hard. I was so depressed by the last cottage visit and was dreading going down on Saturday, but we actually had a good time and made a lot of progress, so I'm feeling much more positive now. We're going down again next Saturday. Thanks so much for getting Adam to do this. Please will you give the boys an extra £10 each for a drink in addition to the £x each. Love Lin x

When you'll be back in Ano Korakiana you can continue your work as you have planned STEP BY STEP. The doors of the 'μουσείο' are and will be always open to you, Linda and whoever you want. My mother respects both of you. You know that!!! You are also free to write on your blog whatever you think it can help my grandfather's recognition.

...Πάντα στον νου σου νάχεις την Ιθάκη.
Το φθάσιμον εκεί είν’ ο προορισμός σου.
Aλλά μη βιάζεις το ταξείδι διόλου.
Καλλίτερα χρόνια πολλά να διαρκέσει·
και γέρος πια ν’ αράξεις στο νησί,
πλούσιος με όσα κέρδισες στον δρόμο,
μη προσδοκώντας πλούτη να σε δώσει η Ιθάκη...

Meeting Alexandra Moschovi in Newcastle to explore the world of Aristeidis Metallinos

My attempts to win sympathy on the basis of age-related absentmindedness has no traction with Lin.  She knows very well, that how many milk cartons are in circulation in the kitchen is low on my 'to do' list.
"What forms of annoyance do you reserve for genocide, people trafficking, child abuse...or Adolf Hitler?" I plead, uselessly.
These things matter to her, she is Kali of Small Things; in especial abundance while Guy and Amy, Oliver and our new born grand-daughter, live with us as their own home is extended - work, as might be guessed, is lasting longer than their builder projected.
To choose one of many tasks more or less at random, I'm tidying up the gates and doors at the front of our house, starting with the hefty alleyway door that, after old repairs to an original gate made 80 years ago, is falling apart.
"Just disassemble the tongue and groove and remake it" says Lin.
The door fittings are rusting into rot. Lin's part right. It could be recovered, but at what time and effort given all the other jobs to be done? If it were anything but a purely functional gate I'd give restoration consideration. I took the whole door - the flaking paint layered rusty T-hinges cut through with the angle-grinder, the remains levered off until I could get a heft on the old slot screws - to a local carpentry shop. I also removed handles and a couple of cabin hooks I'd added about twenty years ago, and with Guy's help, dragged the old gate to the HHH van and took it to Atlantic Joinery on Hamstead Road. I pay for this use of the project's vehicle with a fuel donation - all registered in the van log.
"Make me a gate like this but slightly lighter, Mr Bogal"

The old gate goes as a model to Atlantic Joinery

A week later, for £182 I have a new raw door made of treated wood, ready to be primed, undercoated, painted and re-hung wit a new pair of sturdy galvanised T-hinges from Doorfit in Hockley

Once that's in place I'll clean up the garage doors, sand, undercoat and repaint them.
"£182!" said Lin "They saw you coming"
I like the feel of the new gate. I like imagining how the whole will look when the work is done. But it'll be at least another week with all the other things we have in hand - not to mention the constant duties of grand-parenting.
Things are happening at Rock Cottage. The HHH committee agreed to let me borrow the van to collect the 'old' kitchen from Guy and Amy's house and take it down to Lydbrook where Adam and Jack borrowed the relevant parts up Bell Hill to install in the kitchen at the cottage

At the same time as the kitchen is recovered at Rock Cottage, Martin has been sizing up what needs to be done on the bathroom, left unusable by the previous builder.
I left this for Martin and Lin to discuss. The old cast iron bath will go back, but the other way round, so we can have a shower installed....

...One wall will be dry lined - plaster board fixed to a frame over a sheet of polythene. That will be behind the bath - and tiled. The old WC can go back as also the basin but its plumbing will be replaced
"I don't know how your bath ever drained itself" said Martin.
He made other suggestions - a better placed heated towel rail and radiator for instance. Once the kitchen, the bathroom and one upstairs bedroom are made good, we can stay in the place and continue the work. Martin ran through a range of other jobs to be done. Meantime the old kitchen units and tops were taken down Bell Hill to go in the van and, with other rubbish collect from the streets  of Handsworth taken to Holford Drive recycling depot where they will disappear into land-fill or be incinerated - so primitive still are Birmingham's contract locked techniques for dealing with waste.

Denise and I down-load scavenged rubbish to the dry bay at Holford Drive Recycling Centre

Meantime I'm getting lessons on the intrusive range and depth of viral marketing as Oliver, while having nappies changed, eating morning toast, sitting on his pot, is allowed to watch one or another laptop or even smart phone, as a supplement to baby-sitting. He watches adults but also children selling global toys, his favourite Lightning McQueen, an animated car from films by Disney. These clips are mainly on Youtube. Some are professional animations. Some are well crafted amateur-looking chats about things, where, in front of a relaxing voice-over, and lift-music, toys are unwrapped from cellophane and various plays with the objects enacted. Often there are animated games advertising software for the actual game that last for minutes at a time, with frenetic voice-overs and sound effects - skidding tyres, gun-fire and crashes. These are in English - US and UK - in Japanese and Russian and I'm sure many more. The repertoire is immense and continuous, as one clip leads conveniently to the next, advertising interspersed with advertising, overlaid with muzak and disarming many-accented commentaries.
I don't like this one little bit but it's so bloody convenient.
Oliver is kept entertained while essential domestic tasks get done, but he's being seduced for future consumption. I'm pleased that when we're in Greece our lack of Wifi will have conveniently excised this umbilical. I'm ashamed of relying on it; impressed at its ingenious intrusiveness - the core dynamics of consumerism in the heart of the home, more present then ever via the social web; all things I knew would happen when I wrote about 'micro-marketing' and the 'internal polity' back in the early 90s. Thus capitalism, with its astonishing reach, reproduces its processes even more intimately than when my children were small, or when parents and schools of the 1940s worried about the effect on me of comics.

I realise that this exposure can also be a vaccination. Much depends on what else Oliver does in his daily life; on the negotiation between him and his family and the global market; about what we will allow to be commodified. Authoritarian regimes seeks non-negotiable ways into a child's mind. At least in a democracy we have choices, but as the truism goes 'the price of freedom is eternal vigilance'. At the moment Oliver's relations with the web is more or less one-way with him as spectator. The wonders, hazards and utility of the social web are yet to come.
On Plot 14 Hannah made her first visit yesterday.

The benefits of allotments are both tangible and intangible and include a space for recreation, exercise and, if desired, an opportunity to network. However, allotments also offer a space for contemplation and/or solitude and the chance to indulge in the hobby of growing one's own food in an idiosyncratic way and for personal reasons. Allotments and other urban agriculture projects also offer an opportunity for excluded groups or individuals to participate and become involved in a project. In this way, allotments can contribute to a sense of self as well as community and, accordingly, they can help to shape lives and encourage social integration. Acton, L 2011. Allotment Gardens: A Reflection of History, Heritage, Community and Self. Papers from the Institute of Archaeology 21:46-58, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/pia.379

Our kitchen, August 2014

In Corfu Martin gives advice on hinges and how to hang the doors of our wardrobe

Nearly completed and the doors hang perfectly

New gate hung; garage doors scraped and sanded before painting

 

Christine, Vanley, Oscar on the Victoria Jubilee ~ wet paint from our garage door on Oscar''s shoulder

Karen adds finishing touches to the roof of Vanley's shack

Post Colonial-Now by Karen Mc Lean - the one she's rebuilt on Vanley's allotment (© courtesy of the artist)

TROVE invited artist Karen Mc Lean to reassemble her shack piece, Post Colonial – Now, at Edible Eastside, and decorate their mac birmingham ALLOTMENT plot with her hand made wall paper (© courtesy of the artist)

(© courtesy of the artist)

Oliver with Karen's shack on the Victoria Jubilee ~ August 2014

Dear Karen. It was good to meet you y’day. In case you didn’t get over to the allotments today, I visited your handiwork on Vanley’s plot with my grandson and can assure you the roof is not leaking. Just some wet driven through the doorway - which Oliver and I trailed in more, inspecting inside. Best wishes, Simon 

Hi Simon. Thank you for your email, neither Vanley nor myself were able to get down to the allotment yesterday and I have been a bit worried, so it's good to know that all is well. I had visions of the plastic being filled with water sagging on the inside! It was also good to meet you, Oscar and your son Richard. There is such a wonderful community spirit that breaks down all the social hierarchies on the allotment! I am enjoying being there and observing. Hope to see you soon. Much Thanks. Karen

Hello Simon. Thanks for sharing the link to your blog. This shack has arrived in our lives  and raises new thoughts, feelings and discussions all the time. Living next door to it, I'm privileged to be party to most of them. Sitting graciously on the allotment it is now experiencing it's own liberation and is beginning its freedom where it should be, at the heart of community, and lush vegetation. It's adapting to the British weather and putting on a Mac and shoes much as anyone coming from warmer climates. Free at last...

Sorry Simon, that galloped off into the ether sooner than intended! I hadn't read or revised what I wrote. It's a funny thing, the shack. I love it but I can see why it's been so unsettling for some. But I may be imagining it, but I can hear it settling it's bones into its boots and breathing a sigh of relief. When the sun's out, it's ready for company and activity. Good luck to Karen if she thinks it will want to move again!
Thanks for your kind wishes. It's good to see your 2 homes in your blog. I think I have 2, and my second is the allotment!
All the best to you both
Danny 

'Αυτό δεν είναι μια αποθήκη' ~ our shed in Summer

Karen Mc Lean's wallpaper - photographed inside the shack on Vanley's plot ((© shown with permission of the artist)

'Shacks, chattel houses or huts' (© courtesy of the artist)

Children's park at the top of Parklands Avenue

Homeward in the wet

Good Afternoon. Thank you for your recent contact in regards to the Kingfisher 100 boiler. The part code you have provided is the correct one for your boiler. I hope this helps please email back if you have any other questions. Kind regards. Tom @ Baxi Genuine Parts

Amy, Hannah, Linda and the top of Oliver's head

Miriam in Clapham

Name: Sotheby's
Email: simon@baddeley.be  A friend has suggested someone at Sotheby's might assist me in my research into a laic sculptor, an artisan who took up carving stone and marble in the last 12 years of his life; someone almost unknown outside the village where he was born, lived and died. I have created a Wikipedia article for Aristeidis Metallinos.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristeidis_Metallinos You must have a million enquiries like this, but I wonder if someone who knows far more about sculpture than I could meet me for 15-20 minutes to look at some pictures of this man's work and express an opinion. To the best of knowledge and certainly mine there is no interest in seeking a market for this work. The sculptor's will has been explicit that his work is a gift to his village and must not be divided. I seek an opinion on this man's work and will understand if there simply isn't the time to arrange this. I live in Birmingham and Greece and regularly make the journey to London. My gratitude for your possible interest and attention.

Dear Mr Baddeley. Thank you for contacting Sotheby’s. Your email request has been forwarded to our European Sculpture Department in London, who will respond to you directly. In the meantime should you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our Client Care Team. Yours sincerely, Vickie Wilkinson, Sotheby's Client Care

I've also had a letter from Alexandra Moschovi, who I visited a few weeks ago in Newcastle, to pick her brain on the laic sculptor. I will need to go into it in detail. She points me towards events in Greece when Aristeidis MetallinosΑριστείδης Μεταλληνός, was working on an especially large number of carvings. She gives me links to Greek films of the day - many with content that would have been censored a decade earlier - referring me to a spectacular scandal; the basis of a play and subsequent film The Saint of Preveza, Ο Άγιος Πρεβέζης, whose author, Spyros Karatzapherēs Σπύρος Καρατζαφέρης, was regularly in the dock...

... over his account of the sexual escapades and corrupt business deals of Metropolitan Stylianos Kornaros Στυλιανός Κορνάρος, revealed in 1978.

Toledo Blade, 5 Sept 1978

Preveza is on the mainland less than 90 miles south east of Corfu. One may imagine the impact of such revelations hardly four years after the end of the Junta. Alexandra reminded me that habits of shared self-censorship continued across Greek society into the 1980s, probably even stronger in smaller communities.

The Saint of Preveza 1982: Spyros Karatzapherēs (director of the film): "I'm waiting for you, I'm ready. Nude my darling ready, I'm going to f**k you" ~ Aristeidis Metallinos (Cat.189)

...the law that was introduced in Greece in the 1980s on building permissions...
Ρυθμίσεις αυθαιρέτων και αδειών δόμησης (building permits) ... Ν.1481/1984 (ΦΕΚ-Α-152/1984) ΟΡΓΑΝΙΣΜΟΣ ΥΠΟΥΡΓΕΙΟΥ ΔΗΜΟΣΙΑΣ ΤΑΞΗΣ. Unfortunately, I suspect it will only be in Greek.

Μετά την ποίηση, σειρά είχε το θέατρο και ειδικότερα η παιδαγωγική και παιδευτική του λειτουργία, στη δροσερή βραδινή ατμόσφαιρα στον αύλειο χώρο του Άη-Θανάση. Οι προσκεκλημένοι ομιλητές Πέτρος Αυγερινός και Δώρα Παπανικολάου που δραστηριοποιούνται στο «Θέατρο του Ιονίου», καθώς και «δική μας» Δώρα Μεταλληνού που επί σειρά ετών ασχολείται με το σχολικό θέατρο, ανέπτυξαν το θέμα. Την εκδήλωση προλόγισε ο παιδίατρος Σπύρος Σαββανής, ενώ χρήσιμες παρεμβάσεις έκαν οι Γιώργος Σκλαβούνος (Πρόεδρος UNESCO Ιονίου), Βασίλης Μαρτζούκος, Νίκος Μεταλληνός, Νίκος Μάνεσης, Κώστα Ιωνάς κ.ά.

(My shaky translation) The role of the theatre ... After poetry, we've enjoyed gatherings on the educational role of drama, in the cool evening air, in the courtyard of Ag. Athanasios. Petros Avgerinos and Dora Papanikalou were our invited speakers; their theme, 'The Ionian Theatre' with 'our' Dora Metallinou, who has, for many years, been involved with drama in schools. The event was introduced by the paediatrician Spyros Savvani, with contributions from George Sklavounos (Chair, Ionian UNESCO), Vasilis Martzoukos, Nikos Metallinos, Nikos Manesis, Costas Jonas, etc.

Maria Roussen ~ Η Μαρία Ρουσσέν ~ by Yiannis Moralis ~ Γιάννης Μόραλης

...However, this picture of a happy family life was rudely interrupted when Pericles Roussen’s principled monarchist beliefs led to his imprisonment for refusing to jeopardize the Greek fleet. This caused his early death and the circumstances of the family changed dramatically....

How interesting! To be honest, this was only what I was told as I couldn't find anything at the time when I googled him. Also, I never really attempted to research him before. I'm delighted to see he was anti-monarchist. Probably this was hushed up by my Yiayia and all eh? x

New York Herald Statesman ~ 11 May 1935

Rome New York Daily Sentinel ~ 11 May 1935

So glad you see him as a Republican and a Venezelist! As a senior serving officer he must have been faced with a fateful decision. Some story don't you think? He must have understood the possible consequences and the effect on himself and his family...(I added a link referring briefly to the Movement of 1935, in Greek Κίνημα 1ης Μαρτίου 1935)

This man was a prime actor - a devoted and honourable republican several times PM of beloved Greece . Your grandfather must surely have known him. There is a fascinating untold story here! 

Absolutely, it would be great if you find out more about him. I'll let you know if we come across anything - Kate is going to look in the Times archives. x

The story of the coup and its context are a core part of modern Greek history the National Schism Εθνικός Διχασμός, etc - but of private interest is the 'silence about this in the family. X S

Maria Baddeley and family 8 June 1986

Simon. Kate has researched the Times archive and found an article which comes tantalisingly close to completing the events of the time ... as it says that there was a rebellion and the existing government ordered the Greek fleet to fire upon the rebel boats and that they they would also bomb them if they wouldn't surrender. What I've heard through my family - I'm sure from my mother too - is that my Grandfather refused to fire upon fellow Greeks when ordered to do so. Placing what I and other family know with this bit of information suggests that could well be why he got 10 years imprisonment rather than a death sentence. I surmise that he didn't want to support a command under marshall law to kill his own people. So I think this is not inconsistent with him having been a monarchist. Assuming this is all true, whether or not he was a monarchist, I think that he was certainly a hero! 

George. Fascinating. I am sure that now we will learn more. Thanks so much Kate. Can I have the reference?

My brother George sent me this picture of his grandfather Pericles Roussen and his grandmother Lilly

• George Baddeley I have no idea about what my Grandad's motives were at the time but all I can say is that the vague memories I have are, firstly that he was clearly very wronged and, secondly, that he acted in a highly principled way. It was also assumed that he was a royalist - but I have no recollection about how this came to be accepted as a family truth. I drafted my speech at my mother's funeral in collaboration with all my sisters so it seems clear that none of us have been wise to this new very interesting revelation that you've uncovered. It's just like "Who Do You Think You Are"!

  7 hours ago · Unlike · 1
• Simon Baddeley There is a time for everything. It is good that his family are stewards of the nearest we can get to the truth about this man, husband, father, grandfather, (half-grandfather) and great grandfather. Any chance of a photo? I recall that Maria always had a portrait of her father in uniform near her.

  44 minutes ago · Edited · Like
• George Baddeley Yes - I'll scan you one in the next week.

  33 minutes ago · Like

Title: Greek Revolt.
Author: FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
Pub: The Times. Detail:(London, England), Monday, Mar 04, 1935
Page: 14; Issue 47003. (1407 words)
Gale Document Number: CS235088996

The Times ~ 4th March 1935

Thanks, George. I came too early to the conclusion that your g'f was partisan (in a way that I approved) when actually he acted as a man of conscience, not obeying an order - the most difficult of all things for a professional soldier. He must have known the possible consequences. Had he acted in a partisan way as I first thought, then if the coup succeeded he would have been lauded by the winners 'Treason doth never prosper, for if it prospers, none dare call it treason'. But Admiral Pericles Roussen did not act on the basis of loyalty to Venizelos and the rebels (much as you and I may approve their anti-monarchist cause) or rebellious disobedience to the government, but in obedience to his conscience - the loneliest of all decisions. I honour him. OK to blog?

Yes - it's on the Times archive so this is fine. You can also mention what I've been told over the years by my family, namely: 1. this, my mother told me - and I'm sure it's true - that he refused to accept a command to fire on his fellow Greeks - and I understand that was probably the main - or possibly the only - reason why he was court marshalled and imprisoned and 2. All the family understand that he was a royalist, but clearly not still totally unwilling to obey an unreasonable order. This, alongside his reported defiance of his political masters, would explain why my mother always said that a gross injustice had been committed against him - and it could also explain why he got ten years' imprisonment while the actual organisers of the rebellion got death sentences: if he had been a fellow conspirator I would assume that he would have also received a death sentence. 3. He developed an ulcer while in prison which resulted in his untimely death. 4. I've heard from more than one source that he was highly respected by other navy officers and all the sailors under his command. 5. The lack of detailed information about this whole episode is almost certainly explained by the fact that it was a major family trauma. All things considered, he seems to have been a highly honorable and brave man. G

With some of the 'Greek side" in 1995 ~ Miranda, Kate, George and Linda

Martin, Adam, Linda, Sandra in the sitting room

Adam and Jack

As used by professionals

Martin and Sandra in the sitting room in July 1991

Martin and Sandra in the sitting room in September 2014

HHH Committee in our kitchen ~ Denise, John, Charles, Lin (Hon Treas), Mike (Chair), Jimoh (photo: Simon, Hon.Sec)

Linda and Oliver at work on a planter in Church Vale

Hyde End House ~ site of Lindfield, my first boarding school where I went aged 6 with my sister aged 5 in 1948

Received on 4 Sept 2014: Dear Simon. Thanks very much for your reply and for checking whether I mind my letter being in the public domain. Although I don’t mind being quoted I do prefer to remain anonymous.
I was quite careful about the wording I used when I first placed comments on the Brimpton site: until I moved house when I retired, five years ago, I worked as a therapist and I didn’t want to reveal too much personal information that just might end up being seen by clients. The Brimpton site seemed a fairly safe bet and, because I had come up against so many dead ends when researching Lindfield, I did, albeit with some reservations, decide to leave a message.
I have never blogged, twittered or Facebooked in my life! Perhaps I haven’t lived!
I received two different emails from the Frith website yesterday, both from you but with slightly different formats and slightly different wording. I answered the one that I thought would go directly to you and not on to any public website. I wouldn’t have mentioned xxx’s full name without his permission unless I thought the information would remain private.
I shall read your DEMOCRACY STREET website with interest. A quick glance tells me you have no reservations about going very public - and good for you!
This exchange of emails has reawakened many memories; there are so many unanswered questions about those dreadful years and, if you wish, I would be happy to share thoughts and comments through our personal email addresses as and when they arise. Meanwhile, all good wishes. A
Afterthought: I was very surprised that any therapist would suggest that the best way to deal with the effects of child abuse is to forget the abuser – how does one forget an abuser? 

Sent 6 Sept 2014: Dear A. Good to hear from you - via email direct rather then the slightly anodyne Francis Frith site. I've edited identifiers out of Democracy Street, but if you do read the entry I linked to you and find one, please let me know.
I call the blog Democracy Street because we found after we’d begun visiting our second home in the village of Ano Korakiana in Greece, that the road through it had that name and as I’ve been involved with the subject of local democracy all my professional life, it seemed a good title for a public diary. We are not ex-pats. I love Greece and have visited there since my teens and half my family is Greek (dad’s second marriage, and a part of that ancient event that led to our sojourn at Lindfield) but Lin and I have as many irons in the fire back here in the UK as we do in Corfu.
About fifteen years ago I visited Hyde End House. I saw nothing but a rather beautiful house in a lovely setting. There were no ghosts; no evocations.

Hyde End House now

I guess that my understanding of forgetting is that you do not forget the facts; but you ‘forget’ their effects - not by denying or obscuring them, but by working then through and writing the story with perhaps some heroes and villains. I suspect S (the Headmaster's daughter) has written her story, which includes the completely fabricated connection between ‘our’ Lindfield and the one that became Slindon. My version of the aftermath, gleaned from a local who had been at the school, was that the place went bankrupt and that the bursar was wanted for stealing the lead off part of the roof of Hyde End House.
As someone who’s died no longer brings grief, though you may remember them acutely; someone who was a bully no longer scares you, because you've finally punched them on the nose and made them cry. The trouble with Lindfield - undoubtedly a formative experience (how could two years in the life of a 6-7 year old not be?) - was that I may not have ‘forgotten’ enough, and now I’m in my 70s (:)) I would like to learn more about Lindfield School through exchanges with you. Kindest regards, Simon

Received 6 Sept 2014: Dear Simon. I was pleased to hear from you again – direct email does seem more civilised somehow. I am so interested in your comments and want to reply to them all – it is strange and rather cathartic to ‘meet’ someone who shares similar feelings and attitudes to LS. I started to reply to your first email yesterday and found myself, as happens when I write, rambling on and on: there is much to say and many threads to explore – I just hope you won’t be bored to tears and that I am not going into more detail than you would wish to read. I shall forward what I’ve already written even though I was going to add more; the rest can follow another day.
Your life sound happy and interesting; lots of positives and that’s good.
Must on with the day, lots to do before my youngest daughter collects me so that we can visit our eighty five year old friend who has just undergone a second hip operation. I don’t know many people who listened to Correlli’s sonatas as the surgeon operated under local anaesthetic– apparently Pavlo Beznosiuk’s exquisite violin playing eradicated the sound of the operation very successfully; wonderful. For now, best wishes, A

Received 6 Sept:  Dear Simon. Thank you for your editing efforts – I’m not too worried about the odd reference if it’s already online but appreciate your refraining from adding more, other than anonymously
I have never returned to Hyde End. Many moons ago I noticed a signpost to Brimpton when I was on a CND march, near Burfield, but I decided against breaking ranks in case I couldn’t find my way back to the group. I didn’t want to miss the coach back to Suffolk.
Odd memories keep popping up – soon after arriving at Lindfield some other girls and I went exploring and climbed through the window immediately above the portico at the front of the house - this resulted in great chunks of plaster falling onto the porch below; it was in a bad state of repair and very dangerous; we could have fallen through and we caused quite a bit of panic; the window was subsequently sealed. I quite like the idea of being a nuisance from the word go.
I broke bounds many times and was frequently given the slipper and the cane; sometimes we were given a choice - the cane or a hundred lines. I always chose lines and purposely never wrote the full amount, something in me sensed they wouldn’t be counted. Of course, we were not always given the choice. I felt cowardly for choosing lines – some of the boys preferred to be caned as it was quicker and I thought them terribly brave – but I now see my choice as a very sensible attempt at self preservation.
In the end, after two years, I was expelled for stealing strawberries from the farmer’s field, although, at the time, the word expelled wasn’t used. I was middle aged before I cottoned on to the fact that inviting my father to remove me as, ‘perhaps Lindfield isn’t quite suitable for a child like yours’ was an expulsion. Thank goodness my ‘bad’ behaviour resulted in finally leaving what had been such a miserably frightening and unhappy two years. I then went to another boarding school, nearer my home, in south Bucks, where I was very happy. We didn’t learn very much; I think we were supposed to marry well (I didn’t, falling for a totally unsuitable man and walking up the aisle at the age of eighteen) but what it offered was a safe and caring environment, in a beautiful setting, and ne’er a hint of corporal punishment. I was part of a tight knit group with whom I still keep in contact and, given what had gone before, not just at Lindfield, but, prior to that, some very traumatic bereavements and other difficult experiences, it was the haven I needed and possibly more important for my sanity than being pushed academically.
The strawberry ‘stealing’ incident was truly horrendous. I broke bounds with S (Hart's daughter) and some of the boys. We walked through a strawberry field and, naturally, ate some - what else would children do if they hadn’t been told not to? I would have been far more worried about being caught leaving school grounds than eating the fruit. Anyway, someone saw us and we were in big trouble. The boys were publicly thrashed; the whole school assembled in the big room at the front of the house. I have often wondered whether I would have suffered the same fate if S hadn’t been with us; even Hart might have found it difficult to thrash me and not his daughter; I don’t know. Anyway, it resulted in the aforementioned expulsion so from my point of view stealing fruit was for the best but, inwardly, I carried the feeling of being a wicked thief for many years. Most of the boys cried before the allotted number of strokes had been administered but one boy was determined not to cry (Xd or Yd?), which so infuriated Hart that he just kept going until the boy was broken. I couldn’t bear to watch but heard it all. It is shocking.
It’s interesting that you remember Hart as having some surface charm; I don’t remember that at all but his wife could be sickly sweet. I recall her being extremely unctuous and ingratiating towards my father and stepmother on the station platform when she handed me over for the last time, positively simpering. I wonder if she, too, suffered behind the scenes.
I would be interested to know the names of any other pupils and staff that you remember.
I’m surprised I cannot recall your sister, Bay, she has such an unusual name. You are the only person I’ve ‘met’ who actually realises that girls attended the school as well as boys, which seems odd; didn’t they notice us? There again, it wasn’t until comparatively recently that I realised there were day boys as well; how could that have escaped me? To be continued…. 

Sent 6 September 2014: Dear A. Just dashing on an errand to Gloucestershire with Lin…

"... The boys were publicly thrashed; the whole school assembled in the big room at the front of the house. I have often wondered whether I would have suffered the same fate if Sheila hadn’t been with us; even Hart might have found it difficult to thrash me and not his daughter; I don’t know. Anyway, it resulted in the aforementioned expulsion so from my point of view stealing fruit was for the best but, inwardly, I carried the feeling of being a wicked thief for many years. Most of the boys cried before the allotted number of strokes had been administered but one boy was determined not to cry (Xd or Yd?), which so infuriated Hart that he just kept going until the boy was broken. I couldn’t bear to watch but heard it all. It is shocking.”

I was there stood next to S. My guts are wrenching reading your account, Wow! I can still hear those screams from the boys. More later…Thanks so much, A. Simon (in haste)

Dear A. You should not have gone to such trouble, but thank you anyway. The ‘place’ known as Hyde End is less interesting - beautiful though it is -  than my temporary association with its inhabitants and a minuscule time in the life and history of Hyde End.
I was pleased and relieved that when I did visit the house sometime in my fifties the school that had occupied it for a few years had no resonance. It had not damaged the place nor, when I peered through the front windows of the room where Mr Hart carried out his crimes, did I ‘see’ anything that affected me in the slightest. It was a vacant home, with its then owners, as the gardener told me, away.  It was reading your account the other day that did shake me a little; a bat squeak of white rage against a man which had I encountered him even as an old man with white hair I think I might have shaken - roughly. You know how the mind makes associations - when I hear the name ‘Hyde End' I think of hiding and in Hart’s case a good ‘hiding’ and an ‘end’. (:)) Best wishes, Simon

Oliver and his sister Hannah just the other day. 'It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.' Luke 17:2 'λυσιτελεῖ αὐτῷ εἰ λίθος μυλικὸς περίκειται περὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔρριπται εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν, ἢ ἵνα σκανδαλίσῃ ἕνα τῶν μικρῶν τούτων.' (photo: Amy Hollier)

Hannah Rowan Hollier born at 00.14 the morning of Thursday 24th February (photo: Richard Baddeley)

After the excitement on Thursday I went to London for the afternoon - Birmingham Snow Hill to Marylebone ... dawdling for my 10.14 train to London, I decided to photo myself alongside the statue between the platforms. A professor of dentistry with a classy camera asked to take a picture of me taking a selfie. He emailed it to me and but edited it with eyes askance in B & W on his Flickr stream.

With John McKenna's Commuter at Snow Hill Station (photo: Damien Walmsley).

From Marylebone I cycled north towards Hornsey to see Francis Niemczyk. I wanted a touch-look-talk at his place - to view the kit he's using to synchronise the ageing 16mm film and 1/4" reel-to-reel tape from my stepfather's archive of Out of Town programmes. Round Regents Park it was still sunny but humid. The forecast rain clouds were gathering. Kentish Town Road, Fortress Road, Junction Road to Archway, and urban heat brought the overcast to breaking point. There was lightning and thunder and on Hornsey Rise - a downpour; rivulets riding down the gutters; vehicles fecklessly throwing up sheets of drenching spray I dodged by walking the pavements until I could shelter below a petrol station canopy; dispense myself a milky coffee and choc cookie, before free-wheeling down Crouch End Hill, through the Broadway and along Park Road to Francis' side street. He's on night shift these days, sleeping from about 8.00am to 4.00pm. I followed him through the house to his garden shed so's I could see the kit he's using on the film and tape [links to the back story - the material and my journey to collect it from the West Country in April 2010)

The process of restoring the material I inherited from my stepfather is taking time. It's nearly a year since the first synchronisation (actually the second, as the restored episode that gave me the original idea of what might be done, was completed in May 2010 by Roger Charlesworth at SWFTA). Although we now have a list of the tapes that go with the films and Lin and I, in June 2013, duct taped a dozen pairs of tapes and film, based on the numbers pasted on them at SWFTA, and had five of these pairs taken to London for Francis to work on, only one pair has yet been synchronised. This sample, just over for four minutes, has been done perfectly, and gives an idea of what's involved.

A trailer from the JH archive from Simon Baddeley on Vimeo.

The restoration process is nothing if not tricky, painstaking; even tedious.
"The atmos sound's not a problem but the spot sounds - like a hammer blow or a gate shutting - are"said Francis. He's lots of other film work, hitches with his machines, and he needs to work nights ... We discussed the possibility that after he's synchronised the next two pairs of sound tapes and film over the next fortnight, he focus on digitising sound tape and film and leaves the synchronisation for the moment. Then I suggested we see if it's possible to enlist additional helpers - people who might not have the technology or the skills to transfer the delicate 16mm film and the reel-to-reel sound tapes to DVDs, but do have the craft and perseverance required to work on synchronising the digitised sound to the digitised image on the archive material if provided with pairs of DVDs for each episode. One volunteer has described this in an email to Francis:

Hello Francis. My name is ***. I live in Maryland and became acquainted with Simon Baddeley and his efforts to rescue heretofore neglected and forgotten Out of Town material through his group on Facebook. 

One of the obvious problems Simon faces is the enormous amount of time and potential expense of stitching back together Stan Bréhaut’s MOS material with Jack’s extant recorded narratives. While Simon has made us aware of some of the technical challenges (e.g. sometimes having to time compress or dilate the narrative to match the flow of the picture), much of the effort appears to be the grunt work of cleaning up noise and persistently fiddling with the timing to get a good match.

Several of us in the circle of Jack’s fans have the digital tools and experience to be able to help with this on a volunteer basis, once the original digitalizations  are made. I suggested to Simon that he might farm out some of this raw material to us to accomplish some of the tedium. The would be little risk in trying this as all that would be passed to us are working copies of the original rips – and they can easily be passed to and worked on anywhere in the world. 

For myself, I was involved with website production for about 15 years which did involve a fair bit of video and sound editing & have use of a fairly powerful machine and the complete Adobe CS6 suite of software. For sound I move back & forth between Sony & Adobe, depending on the tools needed.
You are the one in the position to digitalize the precious originals and to judge which pieces require your technical expertise and which can be passed on to patient and reasonably capable enthusiasts. 

I am suggesting the following process for yours and Simon’s comment and discussion:

1. Proceed with mass digitalization of material before getting involved with the editing of individual pieces.

2. Do whatever tape to picture pairing can be done or identify a range of possibilities.

3. Provide reasonably detailed technical specifications for the finished product,

4. Send out pairs of rips to potential volunteers & let us do an “apprentice pieces” to see if further cooperation with this or that volunteer has potential.

Perhaps this will free you up to do the most challenging work and let the project progress in a more timely and economical way.

Thanks for your attention & I look forward to your reply. If you think it a go, we can arrange a telephone chat. Cheers, ***

From Hornsey I cycled south - knowing I can never get lost in London - ending up on the Holloway Road, then Camden Road where the rain returned more persistently and I had to shelter in a bus stop where I continued reading my Harris on Dreyfus, pondering the character of George Piquard, the author's interesting narrator,  as successive buses loaded and unloaded wet passengers until a let up...

Passing through Camden Town on Friday evening

You asked for my suggestions; I replied. If you don't want the facts don't ask for them. Obviously, you are way out of your depth. I find it sad that someone whom claims to have degrees resorts to a website to publish their thoughts. If you can't contribute according to our norms, take your ball and go home. Chris Troutman (talk) 23:44, 23 July 2014 (UTC)

Chris, Such an intemperate and, frankly rude response is unacceptable. You owe Simon an apology. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 13:38, 24 July 2014 (UTC)

Chris, you have a reputation for speaking bluntly, but I have not seen you behave rudely before. I ask you to consider your words to Simon and make proper overtures to him regarding them and your behaviour in this thread. Even when we have a strongly held opinion we may not express it rudely. Fiddle Faddle 13:56, 24 July 2014 (UTC)

@Pigsonthewing: @Timtrent: So you two have been called upon because my "rather didactic advice" offends someone? Here's some more didactic advice for everyone: WP:PRIMARY and WP:SPS describe this letter as a primary source of questionable verifiability. Without provenance, I think the letter is problematic at best. My degree is in history. The study of history teaches us that a letter written contemporaneously to the subject period is a primary source. Primary sources are not to be used in tertiary sources because they require secondary source analysis, which is meant for qualified individuals, not hobbyists.

On wiki all editors are hobbyists; no one here is an expert even if they really are. Wikipedia is not set up with "verified" accounts; therefore, editors cannot argue from a position of authority. I don't take the word of anyone online, anyway. On Wikipedia we argue the facts independent of users.

Sibadd came to my talk page and asked for my advice. I provided it. That user chose to then argue with me about same and complain when my response was brusque. I didn't nominate anything for deletion or threaten to interfere. I didn't even raise an issue on the article's talk page. I registered an opinion and I wasn't degrading, demeaning, or hostile when doing so (in my opinion). And yes, Timtrent, I will be just as vehement in person; I find such intimation otherwise to be insulting. Sibadd's argument about the letter holds no water with me and I don't understand why a user that's been registered since 2006 doesn't understand these policies, guidelines, and essays or my reaction to their argument. While I have been trying to attract academics to Wikipedia as a Campus Ambassador, I reinforce the clear understanding that Wikipedia is functionally different. I don't care if you hold the Lucasian chair, you're just another editor cobbling together secondary sources on wiki. I do find it sad when academics mistake Wikipedia as an alternative. Adrianne Wadewitz never did that; she contributed encyclopedic knowledge and adhered to our rules, as we all should.

I am disappointed that for the amount of time I take considering how to respond, toning-down my initial response, and assuming good faith that I'm still perceived as some kind of reckless bomb-thrower. So, if my response doesn't meet your needs, take it to a noticeboard. I'd be content with an IBAN from all interested parties.Chris Troutman (talk) 02:22, 25 July 2014 (UTC)

I had not expected a rationale for rudeness to be attempted. I have no issue with your opinion being held strongly, nor with that opinion being expressed assertively. I have an issue with your rudeness to the editor. You can be as blunt as you wish up to but not passing the point of rudeness. I don't care one fig for anyone's degrees. I don't care whether the letter is out or in. I don't care about the article, though I care about articles. I do care about the way people behave towards others. I very much doubt I will say more on the matter in a timely manner, I am travelling today and tomorrow. After that the matter will have cooled and not be helped by being re-raised, so I think any further response form me will be unwarranted. I simply express my surprise and distaste for your behaviour, and for your reinforcing it. It is not your message I quarrel with; it is one you are entitled to deliver. It is your mode of delivery. Fiddle Faddle 05:05, 25 July 2014 (UTC)

...we need to create an online culture in which every person can participate in an open and rational exchange of ideas and information without fear of being the target of unwarranted abuse, harassment or lies. 

Simon - not clear who the authors are, but obviously Chris Trouthead is a nasty person.
The stuff about the letter is BOLLOX - it's tantamount to saying the latter is a forgery, or never existed in the first place. Especially since SH is no longer with us to verify it.... What pathetic small-minded hypocrisy. RP

 

Lightning McQueen

Aristeidis Metallinos of Ano Korakiana by Jan Bowman (Sept 2014)

I had felt, at that time, very lucky to have discovered him. At that period I was curator at the State Museum of Greek Folk Art in Athens and I had thought that his work could be the subject of a monographic museum, which actually his family created. I have not visited the village since then, although I was professor at the Ionian University for several years…speaking to my students about his work.

From me: …I am so delighted that I have heard from you as I can always imagine that sheer hard work in academia these days (I am semi-retired from Birmingham University aged 72) makes it almost impossible to respond to questions that are not about the work of the moment.
I have been trying to assist the family, in particular Angeliki Metallinos, the laic sculptor’s grand-daughter, to help put her grandfather a little more on the map.
But for your essay about him, Aristeidis Metallinos is more or less unknown even in Corfu; even in Ano Korakiana. That may be because his work, as you may know, was not only a commentary on the history and fast-changing pastoral economy of Corfu and his village but also involved strong, even pungent, illustrations of his contempt for the establishment – everywhere in the world but also closer to home.
This is perhaps still a sensitive matter long after the artist’s death…
I love the village where we now stay for under half the year. I am Philhellene, infected by my dad via his second marriage in 1949 to Maria Roussen, an Athenian… I lived with my mother and stepfather, but dad invited me to Greece in 1957 - a callow 16 year old. I made a four day train journey via Venice to Athens to be met by the lovely relatives; then sent on a tour of the great sacred places with a young Greek guide whose joy and pride and enthusiasm in what she showed us, is with me always. Except the Acropolis I’ve never returned. They live in my imagination free of the resented attentions of a million other admiring sight-seers.
The help I sought from you, if I may be allowed to pursue this, is whether the ribald, Chaucerian, erotic and subversive element of Metallinos’ work fitted with your impressions of him in 1982 as a laic sculptor associated with Corfiot folklore. There seem to have been two sides to the man as he admits in that ’double-faced' self-portrait
You saw his relief satirising the 'Saint of Preveza’ and perhaps some other pictures of his work...in this area that I am treading  softly.

That’s me - the double faced (cat.92) ~ Aristeidis Metallinos 1980

I’ve had helpful advice from Dr Alexandra Moschovi at Sunderland University. I spent a half-day with her in Newcastle a few weeks ago. She showed me how Aristeidis’ work could in several cases be linked to contemporary events in the 1970s and 1980s. She reminded me that, especially in the 70s, there was still the memory of censorship from the Stone Years and that the sculptor may have been perceived as being a dangerous rule breaker, even risking the reputation of his village and family and others.
On the precautionary principle, I am assuming all this is not entirely in the past. The sculptor lies with his second wife Eleni in the churchyard of Eklisia Paraskevi just below the village, his ‘ museum' just visible through the cypress trees between the church and the village above.
The current plan I have agreed with Angeliki who has the support of her parents Andreas (son of the sculptor) and Anna…is to work on a catalogue describing each of the works. At some time in the next two years I would greatly appreciate being able to share our progress on this with you and in the meantime I hope our research into Aristeidis Zach. Metallinos has your blessing.
I hope you will forgive me using your first name. There is no disrespect intended and I am well aware that without your academic reputation we would not even have been able to get a small piece about the sculptor in Wikipedia. Thank you so much for coming back to me. Kindest regards…

Morning in Corfu

Resoltech1010 and hardener 1014

When you'll be back in Ano Korakiana you can continue your work as you have planned STEP BY STEP. The doors of the 'μουσείο' are and will be always open to you, Linda and whoever you want. My mother respects both of you. You know that!!! You are also free to write on your blog whatever you think it can help my grandfather's recognition.

...Πάντα στον νου σου νάχεις την Ιθάκη.
Το φθάσιμον εκεί είν’ ο προορισμός σου.
Aλλά μη βιάζεις το ταξείδι διόλου.
Καλλίτερα χρόνια πολλά να διαρκέσει·
και γέρος πια ν’ αράξεις στο νησί,
πλούσιος με όσα κέρδισες στον δρόμο,
μη προσδοκώντας πλούτη να σε δώσει η Ιθάκη...

Meeting Alexandra Moschovi in Newcastle to explore the world of Aristeidis Metallinos

Dear Alexandra. What a fascinating visit for me, with lots of new ideas and encouragement on the subject of our - now I dare hope - shared interest in the laic sculptor of Ano Korakiana. I have this morning posted you two DVDs containing images from my visits to the Aristeidis Metallinos ‘Museum’ - some are my photos or Linda’s, but mainly they are by Angeliki Metallinos of the works of her grandfather, which she does not claim as adequate representations. ...As we agree the images are in no special order and so represent rather ‘raw’ data. Yes! A catalogue is vital.
 You have encouraged me in the important task of giving a context to AM’s work (I just noticed the coincidence of initials!) by checking the historical time-line that accompanies the sculptor's working, especially the significance of the year 1981.
I am also alerted to his likely exposure to a number of popular Greek films...more alert to the impact of some of AM’s themes within a village, especially if there are even more sensitive issues of his relationships with others in the village...Given that AM said he took up hammer and chisel 'to bear witness to human nature and its weaknesses'«να παρουσιάσω τον άνθρωπο και τα ελαττώματά του» I am unsure whether he himself is involved in these adventures ... or whether AM's work is observational - which could also bring animosity, even spite upon him....  As we discussed, many more things will emerge.

Archbishop Makarios carved in 1974 by Aristeidis Metallinos

I was told by Angeliki that her grandfather sketched his planned works on unfolded cigarette boxes. I hope to see his actual tools and more personal possessions. I hope I may be trusted to see and handle these - with kid gloves.
 Meanwhile I'm delighted you are curious and interested in the same subject. For me it is about the struggle to improve my Greek, but also about my relationship with Ano Korakiana.
I am pleased that you do not see AM's work as pornographic or sexist. I think there are others who may be repelled by some of it; who would wish to censor some of the more ‘grotesque’ or ‘horrifying’ pieces. But is AM a feminist? What novel view of women emerges from this Greek man in his seventies brought up more or less all his life in a pastoral economy.

What did he learn in Albania in the war? What mix of fascination, admiration and excitement, anxiety and even anger and contempt informs Metallinos' experience of the changes in the condition of women during his life - and especially in the 70s and 80s with the great tourist invasion of Greece?

There are aspects of AM’s depiction of sexuality and gendered work that my own maleness may disqualify me from understanding. This is why I am interested in Lin’s views. I know Angeliki is as close to her as she is to me - the English couple!

Your gaze and critical view as a woman is an addition to your academic perspective on Aristeidis Metallinos.

There is also the matter of how his relations with his children and family, and especially Eleni, influenced him. I have the believe that he was passionately and sensually in love with her. Or was he, like some artists, more and more egotistical and preoccupied with his marble. His work seems to be a burden on his son Andrea.
Perhaps I fix on some of these matters because I’m an old man.
There’s also the matter of many other sculptures and the lovely reliefs depicting a world that has all but been forgotten, and was passing away with immense rapidity in the last decades of the sculptor’s life.

 In a recent Greek film Lin and enjoyed - Attenberg - the young woman’s father, an architect, observes “We never had an industrial revolution. We built an industrial colony on sheep pens”. All over the world the Greek diaspora partakes and leads in projects of modernisation but in Ano Korakiana there are still remnants of pre-industrial enchantment (about which I am not sentimental any more than I am about ‘democracy').

Thanks again for your interest, your advice and your company in Newcastle. I’m glad the rain held off. 'Σὰ βγεῖς στὸν πηγαιμὸ γιὰ τὴν 'Ιθάκη, νὰ εὔχεσαι νἆναι μακρὺς ὀ δρόμος, γεμάτος περιπέτειες, γεμάτος γνώσεις….'
Kindest regards and my best wishes to your dear family Simon

Αριστείδης Μεταλληνός (1908-1987) ~ his gaze? Are these stone women 'passive'?

13th July from Zagori (an extract): Re Metallinos, I feel I need to see his work in situ to really understand his take or stance on women. From the images I have seen, there are works that seem to explore quite different aspects of human relations, and the nature of men and women. I don't feel able to judge which is the dominant strand of his thinking, but he was certainly pushing back the boundaries, and that makes his work unusual and interesting.
At the moment I am struggling with a chapter on Tourism for an American book. Corfu is one of my case studies. I have been gathering information, statistics and anecdotes dealing with the development of tourism since the early 1950s. Like everything else, there are a lot of ambiguities and contradictions, making generalisations very difficult. I have found a theoretical sociological book The Tourist Gaze 3.0 by John Urry and Jonas Larsen very helpful, athough it doesn't deal with Corfu.
What was the nature of the Metallinos "Gaze"?
Did AM's work change and evolve over a period of years, are there various "periods" when he depicts women in one way or another?

'Αυτός είμαι εγώ ~ That's me' (1980)

Photo: David Ash

Photo: David Ash

Photo: David Ash

Hannah with her great grand parents

Oliver and his new sister

Greece’s GDP shrank by a mere 0.2% in the second quarter. While still a decline, it’s the smallest drop since the third quarter of 2008—which means that after 24 consecutive quarters of economic contraction, the Greek recession’s end might finally be at a hand. Don’t expect any wild celebrations in the streets of Athens anytime soon, though. The Greek economy has been through hell over the last few years. Unemployment is an atrocious 27%. And roughly 25% of the economy has been destroyed since the peak in late 2007. That collapse in economic output puts the Greek recession right up there with the worst depressions in recent memory.

Υπό το αδιάκοπο θρόισμα της παλιάς νεσπολιάς, στον αύλειο χώρο του Άη-Θανάση, η Αναστασία Μεταλληνού και ο Σάκης Καρανικόλας μας χάρισαν χθες το βράδυ υπέροχες μελωδίες από το ρεπερτόριο του Μάνου Χατζιδάκι.

Poetry evening in St Athanasios, Ano Korakiana

11 Aυγούστου σήμερα και η πόλη της  Κέρκυρας θα φορέσει τα γιορτινά της για τη λιτάνευση του Ιερού σκηνώματος του Αγίου Σ πυρίδωνα, σε ανάμνηση της σωτηρίας του νησιού απο τους Τούρκους το 1716. Ο κόσμος, αρκετός, κερκυραίοι και μη, θα κατακλύσει απο νωρίς τους κεντρικούς δρόμους της πόλης απ'όπου θα περάσει η πομπή. Ξεχωριστό χρώμα όπως πάντα θα δώσουν οι φιλαρμονικές, 8 στο σύνολο, αναμεσα τους και η δική μας αποτελούμενηη απο 60 μουσικούς, οι οποίες θα συνοδεύσουν το σκήνωμα με αρχή και τέλος της διαδρομής, την εκκλησία του Αγίου...

Ian has edited out some of the talk that referred to an unidentified object. I like what he's done. Being able to sustain chat about this project among several hundred people on Facebook is encouraging and useful.
**** ****

Συγχωριανού μας Σάïμον Μπάντλεϊ  2012 (Αυτός είμαι εγώ με το μπαστούνι)

The soil on my allotment is getting closer to how I want it to be

From W: its coming along I still got so much to do up there  it will all be done by the time u come back  everyone up there keeps walking past n saying its coming along so well I think they would love to nick me to do theres - hahah  - yours is looking the best hahah  I love it up there I had to get some more gas coz the one run out...how's it over there?

We are full up with family - Amy and the baby plus Oliver and Amy's friend Liz and her one year old Sophia. Lovely weather this last week. Shirtsleeves, swimming but also endless nappies! And constant sentry duty on babs. What you are doing makes me so pleased and happy. X S

don't worry simon u be home soon back up there  having tea hahah...all the big stones will be moved I get the pins and all the sides will be done to I put up feed for the littie birds blue tits we get now and I planted a plant that the bees love Denise gave it me for the bees haha u have a place for ya bike n van when it all done

Winnie's stone garden

Weed suppressing cover on Plot 14

Hi Simon. Progress report - when we arrived at the cottage yesterday (Saturday), the chimney breast had dried out somewhat - but the bedroom above is damp still on the outer wall, and that drain is definitely blocked. I've diverted the down pipe shoe at the bottom to temporarily divert rainwater away from the structure, but I really need to get that guttering fixed urgently. I'll see if I can find a roofer to do it. Getting to it is the problem though.
I lit a log fire all day Saturday, and this helped dry things out. The heating is drained down at the moment.
We went to remove the furniture, and had a grisly discovery;

The rat that lived in our sofa

It appears 'Roland' had been living in the sofa! - the furniture has now been burned in the garden, along with the ruined cupboards.
I've got the radiators back on, and have the phone number of the man who installed the boiler - so I was going to try and get him back the charge, refill, service, and re-commission the gas boiler - if that's OK with you. After so long being unused there could be corrosion and dangerous fumes from the heat-exchanger. It could be dangerous.
The bathroom is coming on:-

Adam and Jack are back there today, I have fully briefed them on what to do. Regards, Martin x

**** ****
Meanwhile, in the village, students from the architecture department at the University of Patras are using Ano Korakiana's churches and connected building as case material for their studies in design and restoration...

Αρχιτεκτονική Σχολή...επί το έργον

Γράφει ο/η Κβκ

19.10.14

Ξεχωριστό το χθεσινό σαββατιάτικο πρωϊνό για το χωριό μας…και αυτό χάρη στην παρουσία φοιτητών και φοιτητριών του Τμήματος Αρχιτεκτονικής του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών με επικεφαλής τον επικ. Καθηγητή Σταύρο Μαμαλούκο (με σημαντική επιστημονική δραστηριότητα στους τομείς της έρευνας της εκκλησιαστικής αρχιτεκτονικής, της συντήρησης και αποκατάστασης μνημείων κ.ά.). Το χωριό επιλέχτηκε για την πρακτική άσκηση των φοιτητών σε εκκλησίες και παλαιά χαρακτηριστικά οικήματα και η παρουσία τους θα διαρκέσει έως την Δευτέρα. Λίγο μετά την άφιξή τους και τη συνάντηση με την εκπρόσωπο της Δημοτικής μας Κοινότητας Αγγέλα Θύμη και τα μέλη του εκκλησιαστικού συμβουλίου του Άη-Γιώργη, Σπύρου Βλάχου και Χρήστου Ζερβόπουλου, θα χωριστούν σε δύο ομάδες για να αναλάβουν δράση στο εκκλησάκι του Αγίου Στεφάνου στην πλαγιά του βουνού και σε κατοικία στο μεσαίο δρόμο του χωριού. Η εργασία της ομάδας και του επικεφαλής της είναι αξιέπαινη και ελπιδοφόροα για το νέο επιστημονικό δυναμικό του τόπου μας, που παρά τη δύσκολη συγκυρία, αποκτάει τις βάσεις για να κρατήσει ζωντανή την ομορφιά και την ταυτότητα, που μας κληροδότησαν οι προηγούμενες γεννιές και την οποία συχνά και υπό την πίεση της ανάγκης, καταναλώνουμε. Το μεσημέρι η «ομάδα» θα βρεθεί να απολαμβάνει τον ίσκιο και το κρασί (φανταζόμαστε) στην περγουλιά του Γιώργου Μεταλληνού, στο μεσαίο δρόμο, ενώ η εργασία της αποτύπωσης θα κρατήσει έως αργά το σούρουπο, για να συνεχιστεί τις επόμενες δύο ημέρες… Υ.Γ. Το πόσο δύσκολο και απαταιτικό είναι να διατηρήσουμε τα στοιχεία της αρχιτεκτονικής (και όχι μόνο) παράδοσής μας, φάνηκε στο διάβα της «ομάδας» από την συνοικία του Άη-Γιώργη, όπου δόθηκε η αφορμή για μία ολιγόλεπτη, πλην όμως γεμάτη πάθος και αγάπη για το έργο του, υπαίθρια «διάλεξη» του κου καθηγητή, προς όλους τους ακολουθούντες…φοιτητές και μη.

Dawn over the mainland - an October morning in Ano Korakiana

Hi Simon. Paul examined the heating system today, re-filled and charged the system, and got it all up-and-running. The boiler has withstood the ravages of time and lack of use quite well. There is only one issue and this is some corrosion on the diverter valve and pipework.
He estimates the boiler is ten years old, and has a lifespan of 15 years. He estimates this corrosion will last the life of the boiler, and messing about with it at this stage in its life would only cause more problems.
I have been discussing the damp problems with Paul, and he has had similar problems with a cottage in Wales. After many surveys and so-call expert advice - most of the problems turned out to be condensation. I note the new windows have no trickle vents, and other than the chimney flue upstairs - there is no ventilation at all. When we got there this morning, the windows were steamed up on the inside !
I've opened all the windows one tiny gap, and left the heating on for the week, turned down to 15°C - so it will only come on at night. I'll see how it goes for just this week, and note any improvements. Talk more about this when I see you both next. Regards, Martin X

Adam mending the guttering

Sandra on the windows

Martin's lit the fire to help dry the house ~ 'Team Ward' at work

Plot 14 England (photo: Winnie Hall)

Lin, Hannah, Amy, Oliver at Ipsos

A Museum of Medical History and National Reconciliation is to be built on the historic islet of Lazaretto, Corfu. The old leprosy hospital, which has been listed for preservation, is set for restoration and the surrounding area will be refurbished and made fully accessible to the public, according to a Corfu Municipality architectural study that has the approval of Deputy Environment Minister Stavros Kaloyiannis.[Long history of Corfu isle honoured with a Museum February 24, 2007]

Summer Song leaving Gouvia Pier (photo: Linda Baddeley)

Oliver with his dad "What's that noise?"

Meeting up at the harbour in Ipsos

One of the two olive oil centrifuges in the village co-op

Dear Mr Baddeley. Further to our telephone conversation with regards to a ferry crossing from Italy to Croatia or Albania. Please note that I can offer a ferry crossing from Ancona – Split , Jan 2015 however time table is still not available, it should be available in mid/end November 2014. At the moment I can offer: Bari-Durrës – 10 Jan 15 – 23:00 arrives 08:00
2 passengers in seats = €116
2 passengers in 2 bed inside cabin with shower and wc = €168
Please note the ferry runs every day at 23.00
Best regards. Alina. Viamare Ltd. Reservations Dept.

Here comes a chopper to chop off your head
Chip chop chip chop - the last man's dead.

Snip! Snap! Snip! the scissors go;
And Conrad cries out - Oh! Oh! Oh!
Snip! Snap! Snip! They go so fast;
That both his thumbs are off at last.

The children in Corfu

Εγκαίνια στο "Κρεσεντο" - 26/10/14

Χθες, παραμονή του Αγίου Δημητρίου, το σούρουπο, πραγματοποιήθηκαν τα εγκαίνια ενός νέου καταστήματος στο χωριό, από δύο νέους ανθρώπους, τα αδέλφια Σπύρο και Δημήτρη Βλάχο. Το κατάστημα άνοιξε στο χώρο του πρώην «καφενείου Κεφαλλωνίτη» επί του κεντρικού δρόμου, έναντι του Δημοτικού Σχολείου του χωριού και είναι πλέον πανέτοιμο να προσφέρει τρόφιμα, καφέ και γλυκά, στον ειδικά διαρρυθμισμένο χώρο του. Τα εγκαίνια έγιναν με τον συνηθισμένο για την περίσταση αγιασμό από τον παπα-Κώστα, με την παρουσία της οικογένειας των ιδιοκτητών, φιλικών τους προσώπων και αρκετών χωριανών, ενώ μπροστά από την είσοδο υπήρχε μπουφές με κεράσματα. Ευχόμαστε καλές δουλειές…και προπάντων με «κρεσέντο»!!!