The Urban Legend of Minnie M. Skues

Despite taking some classes at the school below I never actually heard the Urban Legend of Minnie M. Skues. I did actually hear her referred to in jest by some people but never bothered to ask - today, seventeen or so years after last being at the school I stumbled upon the name on Wikipedia and dug deeper to find more.

The actual piece had vanished from Wikipedia because none of it is grounded in fact (that we know!) but Wikivisual seemed to have a ghost trace of the story. The real interesting aspect about this whole thing is that the "legend" obviously still exists and has passed down through countless generations of school children and the fact that Minnie M. Skues actually existed. If anyone has any other information I would love to know more!

Askean's young and old know about the mysteries of the belltower on the Lower Site. A certain Victorian girl, Minnie M Skues was supposedly raped by the old caretaker and upon discovering that she was to bear a bastard child to the grotesque and evil man, she hung herself to escape further tormentation.

It is said that the red walls are such because, while hanging, Minnie hit the wall and the blood that poured from her womb could not be scrubbed from the walls. Thus, the walls were painted their blood red colour to disguise the horrors of the past. The name, Minnie M Skues appears 7 times on the honours boards in the Jerningham site main hall, her earliest honour gained in 1896 and her last in 1907.

Surely if she had died, this would not be possible, and even if she had been alive, achieving seven honours as a nineteenth centuary woman would be incredibly difficult. It is said that, in an ettempt to wash away any memory of her sinfull and shocking death, that they invented a false life for her and part of this conspiracy was to put her name all over the school.

Entry to the belltower is strictly forbidden. You can see the bell tower for yourself from Jernigham Road. I'm sure that if you were to see it, you'd agree that it seems incredibly eerie. Is it an urban myth or are the sounds that are heard at the school when all is dark the sounds of her everlasting torment. Who knows? The caretakers dog seems to know. He will not enter the tower but only stare endlessly through the door, up at the chains that hang from the roof, the chains from which, over one hundred years ago, Minnie once hung.

Being a student of Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College - I feel it my informed duty to tweak the story above slightly. The rumour of Minnie M Skues being raped by the caretaker was an unfortunate manipulation of the traditional story. The caretaker version was invented in 2003 to make it more scandalous. The older version which has existed for many years longer (and the version which I believe to be the truth) is much less exhilarating: Minnie M Skues hung herself because of stress of exams.

Public Enemy

Don't Look Back Concerts are a great concept - take an artist or group and get them to perform a classic album the in it's entirety. When I found out that Public Enemy were to perform It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back I had to go. It's probably my favourite album by an American Hip-Hop group ever and came at a time when my interest in the genre was at it's most passionate. Outside of Hijack's Horns Of Jericho it's probably my most played LP/CD/MP3 etc etc. Despite being released two decades ago it still stands head and shoulders above anything released today and represents a time when Hip-Hop had drive and purpose. There is no point even discussing the performance of Public Enemy because I have never been to one of their shows that was anything less than superb. They have perfected their performances and style over many years - it's just not possible to be anything less than blown away.

The only support act I managed to see was Kool Keith which was a frustrating experience. Despite being a member of the Ultramagnetic MCs, Keith opted to focus more on his solo material which generally leaves me cold. A skilled performer I'll grant you but his Dr Octagon and other solo projects just don't translate to the live stage for me. By the time he got around to performing Ultra's Poppa Large it was time for him to finish the set and I was left standing there hungry for more classic material.

A great night though and even the travel was easy - the last time I drove to a gig at the Academy many years ago I had my car broken into on Somerleyton Road but this time I parked just off Gresham Road which seemed to have a police car or van driving along it every fifth minute.

Tosca - Royal Albert Hall

I last saw Tosca many years ago at the Royal Albert Hall and have kept a watchful eye out for a repeat performance since. A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to get my hands on tickets for a box for the Raymond Gubbay production last night for a very good price.

I hesitated at first because I found out it was to be sung in English. My reaction wasn't because I'm a boring Opera snob but simply because I am used to hearing it sung in Italian and the flow does change in translation but luckily I ignored those fears and snapped up my seat. Sat at Gate 6 - Box 16 I was nearly facing the action directly. What a treat.

The set was superb. I've just laughed out loud at one comment on a review which describes it as "bare bones" - this is obviously from a person who hasn't stopped to think of the physical limitations of putting on a performance "in the round" - the minimalist settings are ideal if you want your whole audience to have a three hundred and sixty degree view of everything. What was lacking in props was more than compensated for with beautiful floor art and superb lighting. The stage became organic with the frequent movement of supporting cast and actors - choreography that climaxed in Act One with Scarpia's Te Deum "Tre sbirri, una carrozza" raising the roof as well as being visually spectacular.

The Guardian were unfairly harsh with their rating but managed to sum up some positives in the first paragraph.

"From a visual point of view, there are two or three spectacular moments in David Freeman's staging of Puccini's popular thriller. The act one Te Deum, with the lustful police chief Scarpia singing in counterpoint to the Roman choir and congregation, floods the arena with people and light. When Cavaradossi is executed in act three, blood spurts from his shirt in a far more realistic way than in most productions, while the final image, as Tosca hurls herself from the battlements of Castel Sant'Angelo, is a true coup de théâtre."

Performances were outstanding from all involved and the final moments with Cavaradossi prompted gasps from the audience. The new twist on the closing scene for me was the death plunge of our heroine. My previous experience has been to see Tosca step into shadows or fall into the background... not last night oh no! A final run to the peak of the set and a quick and effective change to a stunt double saw her jump from the highest point TOWARD us and fall twenty feet through the air and into the void of shadows - the second gasp of the night and cheers from some seats for a high octane finish to a great performance.

More pictures from between scene changes.

Fields of Kent

Being born and raised in South East London for thirty years means I've still a little bit amazed by simple country things like... fields. Pretty feeble I know but it's something I filed under "Country" in my head and never really took any notice of. Now I'm lurking around fields like some sort of oddball.

Leeds Castle Balloon Trip

A great day out at Leeds Castle. Arriving at 5pm your group of twelve to fifteen people help set up the hot air balloon. It's not possible to plot a course really, you go where the wind blows! We travelled for an hour and land fifteen miles away in Paddock Wood - touching down in a field where a Land Rover picked us up.

More information here.

Thames Barrier [at night]

Taken some time prior to 2002 these are a bit wobbly. The Thames Barrier and the area around it looks much better at night.

The Thames Barrier is a flood control structure on the River Thames at Woolwich Reach in London. It is the world's second largest movable flood barrier after the Oosterscheldekering in the Netherlands.

Built across a 523 metre wide stretch of the river the barrier divides the river into six channels between nine large concrete piers. The flood gates across the openings are radial, i.e., half-cylindrical, and they operate by rotating, raised by hydraulics out of a horizontal sill below the water to form the barrier. They can rotate further to allow for 'underspill' for maintenance. All the gates are made of steel. The four large central gates are 61 metres long, 10.5 metres high (above local ground level) and weigh 1,500 tonnes; the outer two gates are 31.5 metres. Additionally, four radial gates by the riverbanks can be lowered. These gate openings, unlike the main six, are non-navigable.

Berry Pomeroy Castle

On a wooded hill, close to the River Dart in southern Devon, lie the unusual remains of Berry Pomeroy Castle. This site was first occupied by the Pomeroy family during the 11th century, and throughout its inhabitation, the castle has been in the ownership of only one other person - Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset and Lord Protector during the reign of King Edward VI. The Pomeroys built the original medieval castle during the 12th century, and continued to undertake work on the castle until the 15th century when a substantial programme of work was carried out to restore and replace much of the original building. On a wall in the eastern tower of the Gatehouse, it is possible to see a wall-painting dating from this period. Berry Pomeroy Castle was sold to Edward Seymour during the 16th century, who had elaborate plans for the castle, which were continued by his son.

Although many of the grand designs were incorporated into a wing of state rooms containing exceptional Renaissance work, his ideas were never fully executed and the work remained unfinished. Situated in front of the Seymour Wing, a five-bayed Loggia connected the staircase towers, a feature paralleled at Old Somerset House in London. The Seymour family deserted the site during the 17th century and from that moment in time the buildings were left to deteriorate, and fall into the ruinous state as they appear today. Despite this, the castle has remained in the possession of the Seymours.

Throughout the substantial remains, there is much evidence of different building styles and materials which suggests that many structural alterations were made to the original castle during its habitable life. Both the Pomeroy and Seymour families have left their stamp on this intriguing mix of medieval castle and lavishly detailed mansion.

Tape to MP3

It's taken me long enough to try transferring tape to MP3 but I found a great page on the net that explained it idiot style for the likes of me. To the best of my knowledge the files below are not under copyright but if they are and you are associated then please leave a message in the comments box and I will remove them immediately. The files are not stored on a server owned by myself or blogger so let me know and I will remove them myself.

Mark Anderson - Lightning FM feat Hijack and the HQ Posse.

This was a disappointment. I've had this tape stored since around 1990 and I've never played it since recording it from the radio. I was expecting 90 minutes of Hijack freestyles but found only four minutes of a half-hearted rap. Ok for the completist but not the Holy Grail I was expecting.

Dj Bizznizz Mix

This is a twelve minute mix from Bizznizz when he was a guest on Tim Westwood's Capital Rap Show. I'm guessing it's circa 1990 - Terminator X released Wanna Be Dancing around that time and MC Lyte's Slave To The Rhythm was out the year before.

Oldies But Goodies

Big Daddy Kane's Dj Mister Cee takes us on a thirty minute mix of classics. Enjoy.

Original Concept Live In Session

Presented on Tim Westwood's Capital Rap Show 95.8fm - this comes from a session in New York with Jeff Foss. A great session from an underated act. Great beat change around 07:40 with a Dre solo.

Boogie Down Productions at London's Town & Country Club 1989 Part 1.
Boogie Down Productions at London's Town & Country Club 1989 Part 2.


Presented on Tim Westwood's Capital Rap Show 95.8fm - the track listing should be as follows; Jack of Spades, I'm Still #1, Criminal Minded, My Philosophy, Sorry, 9mm, Break, Hip Hop Rule, Up To Date, Why Is That?, Jimi, Who Protects Us, The Bridge Is Over, Gimme Dat, The Blueprint, Ghetto Music, Jah Rule, Stop The Violence, Self Destruction, The South Bronx. Hopefully that's close enough.

Def Jam Tour 1987 Brixton Academy - Public Enemy
Def Jam Tour 1987 Brixton Academy - LL Cool J

From the Radio London 94.9 Dave Pearce Show this is the show that was on 30th November at 19:30. LL was the headliner with Public Enemy in support. Not played on the radio was the other support act Eric B & Rakim.

Cyprus - Tomb Of The Kings

The Tombs of the Kings is a large necropolis lying a little over a mile (two kilometres) north-west of Paphos harbour in Cyprus. The underground tombs, many of which date back to the 4th century BCE, are carved out of the solid rock, and are thought to have been the burial sites of Paphitic aristocrats and high officials up to 3 CE (the name comes from the magnificence of the tombs; no kings were in fact buried here). Some of the tombs feature Doric columns and frescoed walls. Archaeological excavations are still being carried out at the site. The tombs are cut into the native rock, and at times imitated the houses of the living.

Although the tombs have been known and casually explored for centuries, they were first subjected to systematic excavation in the later 1970s and the 1980s under the direction of Dr Sophocles Hadjisavvas, now Director of Antiquities of the Republic of Cyprus. Dr Hadjisavvas has turned over to research students of the University of Sydney the preparations of the finds for publication.

Part of the importance of the tombs lies in the Paphian habit of including Rhodian amphorae among the offerings in a burial. Though the manufacturing stamps placed on the handles of these amphorae, it is possible to give them a date and, through them, the other material from the same burial. Thus, it is hoped to develop a more secure chronology for archaeological material in the Eastern Mediterranean of the Hellenistic and early Roman periods.

The Castle of Paphos, originally built as a Byzantine fort to protect the harbour and rebuilt by the Lusignans in the 13th century, then dismantled by the Venetians in 1570, who found themselves unable to defend it against the Ottomans, who in their turn restored and strengthened it after they captured the island. Saranta Kolones, Kato Paphos, near the harbour is castle was built in the first years of the rule of the Lusignans (beginning of 12th century) maybe on the site of a previous Byzantine Castle. It was destroyed in the earthquake of 1222.

Dover Castle

From my visit in August 2005.

Dover Castle is situated in Kent and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Originally fortified (earthworks) by native Britons before the Romans invaded in AD43, It was built near the site of an 80 foot (24 m) high Roman lighthouse (or Pharos), which still survives. Immediately next to the Pharos is the Anglo-Saxon church of St. Mary-in-Castro, which is about 1000 years old. It was placed in that spot so that it could use the Pharos as a bell-tower.

The first castle was probably a Saxon fort, but after the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror improved the fortifications, building a motte and bailey design castle.

The castle, secret tunnels and surrounding land are now owned by English Heritage and the site is a major tourist attraction. The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is officially head of the castle, in his conjoint position of Constable of Dover Castle.

London Eye / Millennium Wheel

From my visit in August 2005.

The British Airways London Eye, sometimes called the Millennium Wheel (Coordinates: 51°30′12″N, 00°07′11″W), is the first-built and largest observation wheel in the world (a type of or evolution on the Ferris wheel), and has been since its opening at the end of 1999. It stands 135 metres (443 feet) high on the western end of Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames in Lambeth, London, England, between Westminster and Hungerford Bridges. It is adjacent to London's County Hall, and stands opposite the offices of the Ministry of Defence situated in Westminster which it overlooks to the west.

Allington

Allington Lock is based on the River Medway, there are eight locks on the river. Allington is the lowest, opened in 1792 and is the extent of tides. The others are Farleigh, Teston, Hampstead Lane, East Lock, Porter's, Eldridge's and Tonbridge Town.

Allington is an almost entirely modern village situated on either side of the A20 road west of Maidstone in Kent. It is part of the built-up area of Maidstone.

The name Allington, which is shared by another place of the same name near Lenham, is derived from the Old English tun farmstead; it comes via eleventh-century Elentun and was connected with a man called Ælla.

Its main claim to history is Allington Castle, which was originally built in the 11th century. In 1281 the present stone castle was built, which was converted to a mansion in the 15th century. In 1492 the castle came into the possession of the Wyatt family By the mid 19th century it was derelict, but was restored in 1905; in 1951 it was taken over by the Carmelite order. Today it is an international conference centre and is not open to the public.



As you can see - you can't even get close enough to be nosey!

Lashenden (Headcorn) Aerodrome

From my visit back in August 2005.

Lashenden (Headcorn) Aerodrome lies 1.5 miles north of the village of Lashenden from which it drew its wartime name to differentiate it from the original Headcorn airfield to the north of the village of Headcorn. That airfield has long since disappeared and the present aerodrome 1.5 miles south east of the village is now known as Headcorn Aerodrome although it retains its old name on aviation charts and in aviation publications. It is in an area of low population on the northern edge of the Weald of Kent, most of the aerodrome being in the Borough of Maidstone whilst a small area north east of the eastern end of the main runway is in the Borough of Ashford.

The airfield has been in existence since the 1920s when the landowner flew from there with his friends. The site was taken over by the Airfields Board in 1942 and prepared for operational service. In 1943 the 127 Wing Royal Canadian Air Force comprising 403 & 421 Squadrons equipped with Spitfire IXbs moved to Headcorn. In 1944 the airfield was upgraded with two grass runways approximately 1600m in length and the United States 9th Air Force 354th Fighter Group moved in with P51B Mustangs of the 353rd, 355th and 356th Fighter Squadrons. These units left Headcorn in June 1944 to move to France and the aerodrome closed.

At the end of the War the site was handed back to the present owner's family. The area of the aerodrome was reduced to its present 164 acres leaving a main grass runway of 796 metres orientated approximately East/West and a shorter grass runway of 549 metres orientated approximately North East/South West.

Over the years various clubs have used the aerodrome as a base for flying training aerobatics and leisure flying. Commercial activities have included crop spraying, air taxi, aerial photography and aerial survey. A mix of activities which have fluctuated but in broad terms remained substantially the same up to the present time.
Headcorn is now the home of:

a. Weald Air Services
b. Headcorn Parachute Club
c. Thurston Helicopters
d. The Tiger Club
e. Kent Police Flying Club
f. Some 40 privately owned aircraft
g. No. 500 Squadron Air Training Corps
h. Lashenden Air Warfare Museum
j. Maidstone Model Club

Rochester - Cathedral

The last time I was inside a Cathedral (Canterbury) - I proposed. This time I decided to visit one alone! For someone who isn't Catholic I seem to be visiting Cathedrals a lot, the buildings are spectacular. I was told by one of the attendants that Rochester Cathedral is the "Engineers Cathedral" as it was designed and built by Humphrey de Tilluel and then later, Gundulph of Bec ; both Military Engineers to William the Conqueror. The Cathedral seems to have very strong links to the Royal Engineers Corps.

Rochester - Castle

Never travel to Rochester when the temperature dips below 10 Celcius (50f) - it's not a warm place and standing at the top of a castle gets drafty. Rochester Castle is at the other end of the scale from say, Leeds Castle. You'll find ruins instead of decorated rooms, craggy steps instead of cascading stairs and dark dingy corners instead of candle-lit rooms. This is a castle that has seen action and doesn't hide the scars, it's well worth £4 a visit. Just avoid looking down into the bottom where dead pidgeons gradually turn into skeletons. They seem to be the oldest reoccuring guests - seems that were the main dish back in 1066.

Rochester Castle stands on the east bank of the River Medway, in Rochester, Kent. There has been a castle on his site since Roman Times though it is the Keep of 1127 and the Norman castle for which Rochester is deservedly famous. The castle is now maintained by English Heritage and the keep is open to the public, although it is little more than an empty shell. Full history here.