Canny lass

I spoke too soon! I've just looked at the 1911 census and Millbank Crescent had 25 houses. More info following.

@lilbill15 I had another look at the 1939 register. This time I looked at the whole street and found that there is no number eleven. There doesn't appear to have ever been a number 11 as the schedule numbers are consecutive and none are missing. Number 25 hasn't disappeared. It's more likely that number 12 has become number 11 and the higher numbers have been adjusted.

I'm sure they do but the only thing I'll be buying from UK is tax-free whisky on return journeys (assuming we ever get let out again). Brexit has meant that buying anything from Blighty involves a delivery time of months. Even a first class letter now takes 3-4 weeks instead of four days. I'm still waiting for a birthday present for a grandson - ordered May 7 in good time for a birthday 3 June. Last tracked June 15 at Heathrow Airport where it was said ti o be "in the post". Should this wonder cure you speak of eventually arrive here, despite all odds, it probably wouldn't be allowed in because it's a medication - and not many are approved by the authorities. I'll just have to plod on with my pillarless airy ellipsoid just as it is.

I'm sad to say it hasn't been the same since trig pillars went out of fashion.

Neither of the available options was what I'd want but now the PM has spoken to the nation. He chose to ask the speaker to relieve him of office. We now have an interim government - the same government with essentially the same powers - to fill the gap while the speaker has talks with all parties to try to form a government. He has four attempts to try to get parties to work together in a government before he must call an extra election. It took 4 months the last time! Sorry to be bombarding your birthday greetings with this Foxy. I'll stop now and wallow in a deep depression over the state of the nation. I'm sure the BBC will be keeping everybody in England informed. Over and out.

@lilbill15 I just checked it out by putting the numbers into a grid reference-finder: gridreferencefinder.com It came up with this: Just about spot-on for Puce Bush. Useful tool to have on your outings.

@lilbill15 I think I've cracked it! The numbers on your pic are a National Grid Reference. I'm not too familiar with it but here's a good site for basic info on using the grid: https://getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/guides/beginners-guide-to-grid-references

Big day tomorrow! The PM must reveal to the nation what his decision is: Will he resign or will he call for an extra election? We'll know tomorrow.

Hi @lilbill15. I’m sorry but I can’t be of any assistance with those numbers. I have no idea what they are. Like, Eggy, I don’t use coordinates. I do like Google Earth for this sort of thing because you can go back and look at earlier views of the same area. Here’s a series of pictures from the area under discussion. I’ll start with a map from 1898 then aerial views of the same area from: 2002, 2006, 2015, and 2020. On each view I marked the spot where I think Puce Bush farm was located (Blue) using St Paul’s Church (Red) and the old road into Choppington Colliery (Green) as reference points. I ended up in roughly the same spot as Eggy. Google Earth gives the coordinates at the bottom of the screen print. It varies slightly pic to pic but not significantly. I probably didn’t land on the same spot with my mouse every time. However, the coordinates shown are close to those that Eggy gives. Eggy: 55.149482, 1.610697 G. Earth: 55o09’03.11”N (North) 1o36’36’37.67”V (West) ... but they don’t resemble anything on your picture: 583972 North 424911 East I’ve no idea what your numbers represent.

Honestly, I have no idea either - but for God's sake keep doing it! Your clagging has induced clarity and cohesion to many a topic and a s such has earned its rightful place here on Bedders. Where would we be without you and your clarting and clagging!

@lilbill15I meant to reply to this earlier but football and Midsommar got in the way. If you'd asked me 10-15 years ago if SD was akin to the UK National Front I'd most certainly have answered YES. SD has its roots in white nationalism and fascism but the last decade or so has seen quite dramatic reforms in their politics. Their present leader has done a lot to get rid of the 'hard-liners' . How much this has to do with reform and how much it has to do with their getting the party a bad name is hard to say. However, I'm pleased to say, that today there are no SD politicians going around weilding iron bars and attacking non-whites outside night clubs in the capital and today the SD party openly and officially rejects both fascism and nazism. SD is, however extremely nationalistic in its approach to immigration - something we are seeing in many other European countries' as well. Because of the many changes for the better, I'd now liken SD more to Ukip. As I said, I don't like their ideology, but I do respect that they - possibly through the changes they've made within the party - are now the democratically elected third largest party in this country and as such - if democracy was working - should be included. They are instead totally frozen out by the so-called 'democratic' parties. This, and the fact that we have so many small parties, makes it difficult for any party to build a majority government without the aid of pacts being made (and broken - cause of the present crisis) both to the right, left and across the board. Hope that gives you some clarity in the situation. Sorry you've had to wait.

Just like that! 👍

... and singing (I use that word loosely)! Do I detect a hint of personal experience?

Looking forward to it!

Right country, wrong month. Crayfish premier, 5pm, first Wednesday in August. Partying usually starts any day that week when you don't have to go to work next day. Menu: Vodka, crayfish boiled with loads of dill, cheese pie (must be Swedish cheese), beer, bread, butter - in that order. It's a very messy affair and bibs and silly hats are obligatory. I think I found a suitable photo:

Have you tried marking (selecting) the relevant bit of text you want to respond to? When you do that a new 'button' appears which says "Quote selection". If you choose that you only get the selected text. Mind you, I don't always think it's necessary to quote anything. If your post is responding directly to the last post then a quote is hardly needed. It's just like having a conversation with someone.

It's about the only item I'm overjoyed about as well, Vic. I always see to it that I have some sort of cheese and ham quiche for lunch the day before - guarantees left overs that 'must be eaten before it goes to waste'. The dessert's not bad either - Vodka, strawberries and whipped cream.

I wouldn't be surprised if these were tucked away in the corners of their minds. Food and drink questions had a high proportion of right answers.

Very sensible! Appendages are extremely neccessary when you need to fiddle about with digital maps. Good prioritising!

It makes for very long reading when the whole post is quoted. Is it still ok to just highlight the relevant extract of text and use the 'quote' button that appears with the highlighting. I don't know why I'm asking this. Of course you can do that. I just did it two minutes ago! Too much celebrating this week: England, Sweden football and yesterday the biggest holiday of the year in Scandinavia - Midsommer (nothing to do with murders, mystery and intrigue) more to do with the summer solstice, vodka, pickled herring and new potatoes (in that order). Food for kings - I am told!

Just testing the 'quote' button.

Well done! Not bad for a first attempt.

Answers to last week's 'Bedlington Special' quiz: 1. Liver, Blue & Tan, Liver & Tan, Blue, Sandy, Sandy & Tan 2. Fact: A Bedlington Terrier cross whippet (a lurcher) 3. 3 August 1850 4. Semper Sursum 5. All of them 6. The Benedictines 7. April 2009 8. PC George Mussell and Sgt Andrew Barton. 9. Cuthbert Watson 10. John Birkenshaw 11. John Gooch and Anna Longridge 12. True 13. True 14. 1844 15. Engineer, Mr Blenkinsop, Bedlington Iron Works 16. Beside the path which traverses the Dene from Furnace Bridge up to Spring Park in Bedlington. 17. Frank Pennink 18. 27.9 miles 19. C) Waste and recycling (are the responsibility of Northumberland County Council). 20. Schalksmühle 21. Nailers 22. Michael Longridge Thank you for putting up with me! It's been an interesting experience and I've learned a lot about you in the process. For instance, I now know that I'm hobb-nobbing with people who seem to know a lot about gansters, whores, drugs, gambling, dictators and just about every alcoholic beverage known to mankind but on the other hand, are also pretty knowledgeable about things like: geography, history, languages (including Japanese!), religion, cooking, world cultures, Easter, Christmas and sport. I take my iridescent purple hat off to you all.

At least 4 too many! There's more pact-making than politics going on here. Biggest problem is the undemocratic way in which SD party (far right and with a similar ideology to Britain's Ukip) is being treated. While I personally do not support their views i accept that they are now the democratically chosen, third largest party in the country and as such have a right to be included in decisions affecting the country. However, Labour and Centre refuse point blank and openly to work with or include them. Much of the problem now is that Lööf (Centre) has seen fit to support their vote of no confidence in the present government. The prime minister has now two choices. By Monday he must decide if he will resign and leave it up to the speaker to negotiate with all these parties with the aim of getting together a workable government. It took 4 months last time to get a majority out of all these small parties! Or he can call another election - just one year before it's due anyway. What a waste of time, money and effort when we are in the middle of our third wave of Covid. Their time could be better spent doing other things. I think the timing for raising this vote of no confidence in the present government was appalling. Rant over!!