This week I am spoilt for choice, and having a difficult
time deciding what to share with you!
Since my last post I’ve been lucky enough to listen to the Hathern Band, not once, but twice!! Last week, Hathern Band played in the bandstand in Queen’s Park, directly after the Carillon recital, in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of VE day. This was a lovely performance, with glorious sunshine and a large, appreciative audience.
Last evening, I was lucky enough to find a seat in the
Trinity Methodist Church for a joint concert of Hathern Band with the
Loughborough Male Voice Choir. Hathern were on top form – especially the
trombones, but I am a bit biased!! I particularly loved the rendition of “76
trombones”! The choir did themselves proud too, and their numbers have swelled
recently since they had a pseudo recruitment drive earlier this year. I think
they’re still on the lookout for new members, so if you’re looking for
something to do, check out their webpage.
Yesterday we took a trip to the Black Country Museum in
Dudley. Hadn’t been before, but had heard good reports about it, and it didn’t
disappoint. Lots of exciting things to see and do, including a ride on a 1948
bus, and a Midland Red double-decker, a tram (but this was closed for
maintenance), reconstructed terraced houses, dressed accordingly, and with
volunteers making soup over the open fires. And gardeners tending their little
plots, and producing beautiful pink sticks of rhubarb which the children dip in
sugar. Then there’s the authentically 1940s shops, including a chemist, a
greengrocers, ironmongers, confectioners, bakers etc., some of them actually
selling things, like the little fish and chip shop. The café was in the
Worker’s Institute, and had a wonderful selection of food, and we enjoyed a steak
and Stilton pastie with mushy peas and new potatoes coated in yummy salt and pepper.
Lots of remnants of the days when Dudley had iron founders (I
think there was a saying about the area, black by day, red by night, which related
to the smoke and grime in the daytime and the glow of the iron works in the night).
This reminded me of John Jones the iron founder in Loughborough, who owned the Britannia
Foundry. I think he lived in that very large house at the junction of Meadow lane
and Clarence Street, which now appears to be a health spa (sounds like the beginnings
of a future blog post … !). The mine at the Black Country Museum was open, but
I’m afraid I couldn’t go down there: The last time I went, or rather tried to
go, down a mine, it was a tin mine in Cornwall, but I had to turn back pretty
sharpish, when even I had to watch my head! Trips on the canal boats were also
available, although they seemed to be doing quite a lot of work on the canal,
so we thought we’d leave that till our next visit!! When will I ever find
time?!
I’ve also giving up a bit of my spare time in helping out at
the Carillon Tower and Museum again this year. This is such good fun, as I get
to meet so many interesting people from all over the world, and who all have
such interesting tales to tell! I also finally got to learn what the copper
boots in the Airborne room were all about, and I get to hear the carillon being
played (guessed what day I’m there, yet?). If you fancy helping, the museum is
always on the lookout for volunteers so they can keep all floors of the tower
open to visitors.
Talking of the carillon, today, I also heard the carillon
play as I walked into town to take a peek at the ceramics market. It’s an
annual event and I blogged about it last year, so I shan’t say anything about
today’s market other than to say there was a lovely variety of pottery, and
it’s difficult to go and not spend any money: Well, that’s a few birthday and
Christmas presents sorted!!
Now, what have I forgotten? Oh, yes, the banquet in celebration of the bi-centenary of John Nichols’ History and Antiquities of the County of Leicester, an 8-volume work, written by Nichols in 1815. What a glorious event that was, but, I’ve run out of time to tell you about it tonight, so I will save this one for next time!
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