Monday 31 January 2011

Monday.



Top photo is of a small oak folding gateleg table. Second picture is of the same table folded flat. It's also known as a coaching table, because it could be put into the bottom of the coach (not a stage coach, but the family carriage) when they went a-picnicking. It would have been made-in England of course- a few years either side of the year 1700.
Friend Brenda called in this morning and had a coffee with us. This afternoon we went into Ipswich (on the park and ride 'bus, using our senior citizens' bus passes) to see the film 'The King's Speech'. Everyone has been telling us how very good it is, and we had to agree with the majority verdict - worth seeing; and as it also dealt with the abdication, made us appreciate the more 'our own dear Queen's ' long, long service. During which, in my opinion, she's never put a foot wrong. I hope she lives at least as long as her mother did, and after that I don't suppose I shall much care about what's done with the monarchy.
Must get on with a bit of work now, so - Goodnight All.
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10 comments:

Ed Clayton said...

Not sure what it is about that table, but I noted it and quite liked it. I didn't realise it would fold as flat as that though.

Quite agree with your comments about the Queen, however after she "moves on", I hope that whomever succeeds her is, quite simply, as good.

Looking forward to watching The King's Speech myself, but first my turn at scrabble...

Crowbard said...

Hi Mike, please feel free not to publish this if you feel it would in anyway compromise your blog. I must confess to a deep respect for our Royal family, I think the Bowes-Lyon blood-line was of significant benefit to it. Even the 'Bloody Greek' contributes much to the regal backbone. I think it a great shame that the royal sprogs no longer sort out the top-spot by terminating the opposition. My money would be on Anne for next Sovereign... certainly in a true democracy I would cast my vote for her. In view of Charles I's seriously warped view of kingship, I don't fancy a Charles III - but some of Prince Charles' ideas (unlike his morality) have considerable merit. I hope Her Majesty lives long and one of her grand-children come well prepared to the throne. God save the Queen!

Unknown said...

Hello Crowbard. I do agree with most of what you say. Ten years ago I would have completely agreed with your remarks about Princess Ann. She would even now be easily the best monarch of her generation. My only caveat is that if you look at the historical record, all three of our best Queens (i.e. Elizabeth, Victoria, and Elizabeth II) have had long reigns because they came to the throne as young women, became popular- at least partly because of this (we are a gallant race)- and remained popular because of their longevity (we are a race of habit, too). So that Princess Ann might (this bit is less than gallant, I'm afraid) be a little long in tooth to come fresh to the throne. On the other hand she has been around a long time anyway, is deservedly popular, and in any case, anyone who has been even rumoured to have taken a riding crop to a reporter has to have her head screwed on the right way. Furthermore, anyone who makes a habit of simply grunting at members of the 'media' when asked impertinent questions will always have the backing of right thinking members of the public - and this includes, Yours Truly, M........ Your Blogger.

Unknown said...

P.s. You do not mention Charles II Crowbard. I suppose that in view of his seriously warped view of basic honesty, or more probably his total lack of it, you didn't think him worthy of inclusion in your comment. And in my view his brother who succeeded him, James II (of whom, the less said the better) was the worst of a bad bunch. I refer of course to the Stewart Monarchs.

Unknown said...

P.P.s. If, in the near future, this blog becomes difficult to access, it will probably mean that I am languishing in one of the less salubrious dungeons below the Tower of London.

God Save The Queen.

Crowbard said...

I fear our own dear family may be related to the Stewarts. The earliest of our Horners I can trace is a John Stewart Horner born 1470 and by 1500 he was living in Stoke, Somerset, his son bore the same name and his great grandson Sir John Horner b.30 November 1517 was born in London and lived mainly at Mells. The John Stewart Horner name occurs again at Mells in the nineteenth century.

Crowbard said...

PS the secret is to languish long enough... the tower is incredibly ancient so must be due to fall down anytime in the next couple of millenia, whereupon you can make good your escape and carry on with your horological practices. Knowing you, by then you will have repaired and restored every clock and weapon in the Tower's collections and have been offered several free pardons by incumbent Monarchs for services rendered - each of which you will have turned down on account of having discovered a few more pieces you want to restore!
PPS sorry if I've uncovered your plot to deliberately be incarcerated in the Tower.

Crowbard said...

PPPS
Should have clarified, middle names in the period of the first John Stewart Horner were almost invariable the mother's surname; usually in cases involving large estates: inheritances were frequently conditional upon the recipient bearing or converting to the original maternal family name.
Occasionally people carried four or five matrilineal surnames between their given name and patrilineal surname - such cases occuring most frequently in Scotland and the Northern Counties.
Perhaps our own inherent pride of name illuminates this practice.

Unknown said...

I'm lost in admiration of John Stewart Horner, who, according to your figures became a great grandfather at the age of forty seven. That is going some by any standards.

Crowbard said...

Sorry Mike, slip of concentration He was a great bloke but only a grandfather at that stage...

Husband: John Stewart I Horner b.1470
Wife: Name not known probably a Miss Stewart
Child: John Horner b.1490 alt. John Stewart II Horner b.1500 Stoke Somerset. d. Somerset.

Husband: John Horner b.1490 alt. John Stewart II Horner b.1500 Stoke Somerset. d. Somerset.
Wife: Name not known
Child: John (Jack) Horner (1517) b.30/11/1517 London. m.1546 d.24/9/1587.

Husband: John Malte b.1500 London. d.1587.
Wife: Name not known
Child: Meriel Malte b. 1530 England. d.1587

Husband: John Horner (1517) Sir John (Jack) Horner b.30/11/1517 London. m.1546 d.24/9/1587.
Wife: Meriel Malte d.1587
Child: Thomas Horner (1547) b.1547 &m.1573 Poundsford, Somerset. d.15/2/1610/11 Mells, Somerset.

Husband: Thomas Horner (AFN:9T6W-HX) b.1549 Pedigree b.1547 Cloford & Mells, Somerset. d.15/2/1611 MP for Somerset 1584/1585 (Will probated 1612 Cloford)
1st Wife: Jane Amy Popham or Amy Jane Popham (AFN:9T6V-FG) b.1553 Huntsworth, Somerset.
Children:
1.Amy Horner b.1575 Mells, d.1658 Poundsford, Somerset. m. 1605 John Simms (1571)
2.Hercules Horner b.15 JUN 1578 Mells, Pondisford, Somerset, England
3.John Horner (1580) Poundsford, Somerset.
4.Henry Horner Pedigree b. 29 MAR 1583 Pondisford, Somerset.
5.Anthony Horner Pedigree b.12 AUG 1590 Pondisford, Somerset.Chr. Mels, d.2/11/1590
6.Thomas Horner Pedigree b.1592 Pondisford, Somerset.(Will probated 1651 Leigh in Mendip)
2nd Wife: Elizabeth Pollary b. 1574 m.1592
Child: Ann Horner b.1594 Pondisford/Poundsford, Somerset.
3rd Wife: Gabrielle Roberta Montgomery b.1547 m.1595 Somerset.

Husband: Sir John Horner (1580) , knight. b.Poundsford, Somerset. his will probated 1660 Mells.
Wife: Dame Ann Horner her will probated 1666 Mells.