Historical Details of the Painesville United Methodist Church Building
From the earliest gatherings in homes of small groups of Methodists to conduct their religious services, to the appointment by the Ohio Conference in 1818 of Mr. Ira Eddy as circuit rider preacher on the Grand River Circuit, to the construction of a Methodist meeting house on Liberty Street in 1822, and through years of changes and moving to different buildings, finally in the spring of 1873 construction was begun on this building located at 71 North Park Place in Painesville, Ohio. The lot, “suitably located on high ground in the center of the village on the north side of the village park,” was purchased from George and Sarah Steele for $10,000; and the contract for laying the foundation and cut- ting the stone for the building was given for $8,000.
Mr. Jacob Snyder was the selected architect. His design for the building incorporated ideas from the Metropolitan Wesleyan Methodist Church in Toronto, Canada for the front and exterior, while the Sunday School rooms and much of the interior followed the plan of the Akron Methodist Episcopal Church in Akron, Ohio. A description of the building by Mr. Snyder appeared in the October 23, 1873 edition of The Painesville Telegraph and contained the following details:
“This building, which in architectural style is designed to be decorated Gothic, and to be built of red brick, with stone dressings, has its foundation walls and ashlar* work now completed. Its greatest length, including the projections of buttresses, is 161 feet, by a width correspondingly measured of 80 feet. The plan of the building is symmetrical, having two towers upon the two front angles including the front vestibule between them; the main audience room centrally located; and the S.S. apartments at the rear. The portion of the building including the latter projects somewhat beyond the side walls of the central portion, thus producing an outline of plan similar to the letter T. Of the two front towers, the one is 18 feet and the other 16 feet square, having octagonal buttresses at their angles topped out with pinnacles corresponding with their size and form. The toppings out of the main walls of towers consist of gabled louvres, surmounted with parapets, and pinnacles smaller than those at the angles.” (Note: These towers were to have been surmounted by two iron spires, but ones that were placed upon the rear of the building were blown down, so that ornamentation was omitted from the towers.)
*The term “ashlar” refers to large, rectangular blocks of masonry.
“In the center of the front is the principal doorway, with columns, bases, carved capitals, Gothic arch with carved key and springing stones, and crocketed finial. Each of the front towers has also an entrance, similar in design to the central. Besides the three front, there are also two side entrances, accommodating the S.S. apartments and the rear of the audience room.
“The window distribution of the entire building is liberal, both for architectural effect and ample light. The large front window is Gothic, having a height of 24 feet and an inscribed circle of 20 feet in diameter, about which it is formed. Two windows of similar design are located above the side entrance doors, extending into the gabled walls, thus serving to light the upper and rear vestibules.
“The main audience room, exclusive of vestibules and organ loft, is 56 feet by 70 feet; and has a continuous gallery, raking down from its general level to that of the choir at the rear of the peaker’s platform.
“The main S.S. room, exclusive of its complemental apartments, is 41½ ft. by 45½ ft., and in outline is somewhat more than a semipolygon – from the sides of which are projected two stories of seven classrooms, or in all fourteen rooms. These are connected with the main room by folding sash doors. In height the central room extends somewhat above the flat pitched metal roof of the radiating classrooms, thus admitting its being lighted by clear story windows, which are alternated segmental and Gothic, and are located in the polygonal sides. As many of the latter as contain the Gothic windows are gabled, having their roofs intersect the absidal roof of the central room. The latter roof is finished against the rear wall of the main building. The ceiling of the main S.S. room is vaulted and that of the main audience room inclined from the sides to the center.
“The lateral extremities of the space occupied by the singers’ gallery and organ loft serve on the main floor level and vestibules to accommodate the S.S. apartments and the rear of the audience room. Here are also located the two rear stairways, affording access to both the main audience room and S.S. room galleries. The latter is designed to secure communication with the upper tier of radiating classrooms; and in plan it corresponds with the contour of the main S.S. room, … thus communicating with the vestibules.
“The stone dressings of the interior are wrought out of Amherst stone, and are freely distributed throughout the brick work, producing a pleasing contrast. The woodwork of the interior is designed to be chiefly black walnut, neatly finished. And the usual decorations of fresco-painting and stained glass, in structures of this class, are contemplated.
“Provision has been made by means of air towers, at all times, to be able to command an abundant supply of fresh air, and to extract the impure as well. The cellar is sufficiently ample, in every particular, to admit its being fitted up with basement apartments for social purposes. It is designed to heat the building by steam, chiefly upon the indirect principle.
“In this church enterprise hardly anything has been omitted to be considered that would in any way contribute to the comfortable accommodations of a church and S.S. community, both as it regards its adult and youth population.”
In a dedication ceremony attended by church members and interested people from the community, the cornerstone was laid on a beautiful fall day, Wednesday, October 15, 1873. This stone, which had been contributed by the builder and with lettering done by townsman William Doran, holds a box which contains the following items:
- Early records of the church and society;
- Names of the Presiding Elder of the district, the pastors, Superintendent of the School, Trustees, Class Leaders, and Stewards of the M.E. Church of Painesville;
- Names of the various churches in Painesville, with their present pastors;
- A list of subscribers to the building fund, including the Sunday School scholars;
- Copies of the Bible, Hymn Book, Minutes of the Annual Conference, and various periodicals and newspapers of the church;
- Copies of The Painesville Telegraph of the current week, and other county papers;
- Catalogue of Lake Erie Seminary, and other documents.
The contract for the completion of the exterior of the church was let for $36,000. The red bricks for the building were made on the “flats” at the foot of Main Street Hill in Painesville. This work was begun June 1, 1874, and completed by September of that year. It was pronounced the finest piece of masonry in Painesville. In 1875, a financial accounting stated, “The structure of the church to date, irrespective of the lot, cost $50,500; of this amount $36,300 has been provided for, leaving an indebtedness of $14,200.” Through subsequent years, the members struggled to raise funds to complete the interior furnishing of the church. Subscriptions were taken until the full amount was reached. The Sunday School Room (renamed the Circle Room during the late 1960’s) was finally completed in 1878 at a cost of $7,000. The church was dedicated in June of 1881, and declared free
from debt in 1897. The Rose Window, located at the front of the church, consists of 1,371 carefully selected and cut pieces of stained glass and measures 24 feet wide and 20 feet high, one of the largest in the country. Its cost of $300 was donated by the Young People’s Society. In the center is a 7-pointed star known as the Mystic Star and representing the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Additional symbolism is evident in the ten tall stained glass windows on each side of the Sanctuary, designed and created by Douglas Phillips. As described in the 1984 history of our church, the windows are as follows:
Agnus Dei or Lamb of God
This is the symbol of Agnus Dei or Lamb of God. Out of the Hebrew sacrificial system, Christian application made the lamb as the symbol of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” The lamb, one of our earliest symbols, was frequently used in Roman catacombs. In symbolism, the Suffering Lamb is shown with a cross, the Triumphal Lamb with a waving banner, and the Enthroned Lamb depicted seated on the Book of Seven Seals mentioned in the Book of Revelation. Our window portrays the Lamb as both the Suffering and Triumphant Christ, with cross and banner. This is one of the greatest of all symbols used in Christian art to represent the Son of God. The money for this window was donated by the children in the Sunday School Primary Class.
The sheaf of wheat is a symbol of God’s bounty and goodness. As God enables man to gather a harvest from the earth, He makes it possible to reap a spiritual harvest as well. St. Paul said, “Whatsoever a man sows, that will he also reap.” As pictured here the sheaf of wheat with a sickle is a symbol of the harvest and the autumn of life. Along the sides of the window are wheat and tares – the good crop and the weeds. Matthew relates one of the parables of Jesus, which ends, “Let the wheat and tares grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Gather the weeds first, bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
Within this inset we see one form of the sacred monogram IHCOYC. Through the years, as knowledge of Greek became rare, the Greek C was changed to the Latin S, so the monogram HIS is used more often instead of IHC. Our window shows an interesting intertwining of IHS as the monogram evolved in the Middle Ages and representing “With This Sign.”
The chalice, or cup, is a beautiful reminder of the cup which our Lord took and blessed and gave to his disciples at the Last Supper. Jesus said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” Pictured with the chalice there are grapes and leaves on a vine representing not only the source of the communion wine but also Christ and his disciples. In the parable of the vine, Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
It is easy to understand the symbol of the Bible, the sacred book accepted by Christians as divine authority, the Word of God. Note that the Bible is pictured as open – open to all who will hear, study, believe. Translations of the Bible, or portions of it, have been published in more than a thousand tongues.
If the crown appeared alone it would be used as a symbol of the kingly office of Christ. “For He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings.” But here we have the symbol of the Crown and Cross, which stands for a reward to those who are faithful unto death. In Revelation we read, “Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life.” In the arm of the cross appear the letters INRI. These represent the Latin words, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” According to the book of John, Pilate caused a title of mockery written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek to be placed on the cross saying, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”
Intertwined are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet – Alpha or A and Omega or O. They stand for the beginning and end, the first and last. They are used as a monogram to indicate that Christ is an eternal figure and symbolize the everlasting nature of the divinity of Christ.
The anchor as a symbol of hope was used in the catacombs by persecuted Christians. The anchor pictured here is a combination of anchor and cross symbolizing both hope in the life eternal and salvation from sin through the Saviour’s death and resurrection.
The descending dove represents peace and purity. It is the most familiar symbol of the Holy Spirit. Pictures of our Lord’s baptism always carry this symbol. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all mention the Holy Spirit descending like a dove upon Jesus as he came out of the River Jordan, following His baptism in its waters.
Six Pointed star
The number of points in a star is significant in Christian symbolism. In this window we have the sixpointed star or creator’s star formed by superimposing one triangle on another. This six-point star symbolized the six days in which God created the world. Sometimes it is used as an emblem of God the Father, the six points referring to His attributes: power, wisdom, majesty, love, mercy, justice. A triangle, of itself, represents the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The use of two triangles in the Creator’s star doubly emphasizes the holy Trinity in the process of creation.
Included in the windows of the Sanctuary are many other symbols. There is the rose symbol in the round, various colored medallions near the top of each window. The rose may, on one hand, represent the promise of a Messiah for, as Isaiah foretells, “The desert shall rejoice and blossom as a rose.” But the rose also may represent each of the following: love, our Lord or His nativity, paradise, beauty, and Mary the mother of Jesus.
Then there is the passion flower, used as a symbol of the suffering of Jesus, and the bursting pomegranate, a symbol of Easter and the resurrection of our Lord and thus signifying the hope of new life. A small three-petal motif repeated over and over is another symbol of the Trinity, as is the Fleur-de-lis in the windows over the front stairways. Certainly symbolism has played a very important part in the proclamation of Christian faith. From the days of the very early church to the present, symbols have served to bring Christian ideas home to the heart of man.
Throughout subsequent years, many aspects of maintenance and re- decorating were carried out on the church building. In 1905, the original carpet was laid at a cost of $700. In 1913, the unfinished basement was excavated; and a social hall, including a stage, kitchen, and serving room, were built. A central heating system replaced the original combination of two furnaces and six coal stoves that had to be tended by the women of the church, and an electric lighting system was installed to replace the original gas illumination – all for the cost of $8,000.
In 1923, a contract in the amount of $9,308 was given to construct the balconies in the Sanctuary; followed by a contract at a cost of $1,630 for new oak pews whose ends were stained walnut to match the rest of the woodwork.
The 1929 depression brought many hardships to church members, and necessary funds for maintenance and upkeep of the church were hard to raise. But the church needed redecorating, so the members rallied and contributed both labor and materials. They worked whenever they could, day or night, and did the job without creating more debt. In 1935 the old tubular organ was rebuilt and electrified. Chimes were added with tower amplification so they could be heard in the downtown Painesville area.
In 1946 the church was redecorated again at a cost of $8,000. In the early 1950’s it became evident that better facilities were needed to accommodate the Sunday School program. There was an urgent and imperative need for an additional building. With this goal in mind, the members began a three-year fund-raising campaign that culminated in raising $150,000; and a contract was awarded in February, 1954 to the William Voegtler Construction Company to build a two-story educational building on the vacant space to the rear of the church. It was completed at a cost of $144,000 and dedicated on September 15, 1957.
Soon thereafter, in 1961, a building committee was formed to study the need for alterations to the main church building and provision for a connection between the two buildings. A Chapel with stained glass windows was incorporated into the design for this connecting hall. Windows were designed and built by the Phillips Stained Glass Studio, Inc., of Cleveland.
The design of the Chapel windows combines traditional and contemporary in a series of vignettes set in a field of irregular rectangles of blues and greens accented with violet; the figures are stylized to suggest the contemporary. The smaller side-by-side windows on the left wall as you enter the Chapel are devoted to symbols of the Saviour – on the first the Chi Rho, an anchor symbolizing Jesus Christ the anchor of the soul, and the three nails symbolizing the crucifixion; and on the second an empty cross representing the resurrection, another form of the Chi Rho, and the IHC symbol.
Going around the Chapel to the right, the next four windows form the story of the Nativity and Christ as a young man. The first of these windows shows a landscape and the Star of the Nativity; in the background can be seen the three Wise Men on their way to Bethlehem. The second features the Nativity; the third shows Christ as a young man in Joseph’s workshop holding an ax in His arm while He studies religious writing and teachings. The fourth of this series of windows contains a cross rising from behind the open Bible with the letters VDMA, which stand for the Latin phrase “Verbum Dei Mani Aeternae” – “The word of God endures forever.”
The four windows to the right of the Chapel altar relate to the adult Jesus as Teacher and Saviour. The first features the Hand of God the Father shedding blessings on earth. The next window shows Christ knocking at the door; the landscape behind this one then flowing into the third of this series, which features Christ as a Sower. The fourth window in this series contains the Dove of the Holy Spirit.
The glass used in these Chapel windows is called antique. It is handblown glass made the way glass was done during the Middle Ages. Using the mosaic approach in designing these windows, a change of color was achieved by using a different piece of glass. Any detail, such as hair tone and some parts of the halo, was fired on with special paint to such a temperature that it actually became a part of the glass and is permanent.
When the Chapel was built, additionally the side entrance was rebuilt, the heating system converted to gas, and the entire interior of the church redecorated at a total cost of $125,761. Individual rooms around the outer sides of the Circle Room that were originally used as Sunday School classrooms were converted to much needed offices for the pastor, secretary, and education department head.
At the time of constructing the Chapel and connecting hallway, new doors were installed in both the original side entrance and the Chapel entrance. Each of these doors contains stained glass in the form of a cross. The left hand door symbolizes redemption through Bible teachings found in the Old Testament and the Law of Moses. The head and the left and right arms of the cross form the Trinity, with the Father’s hand on the left, the Chi Rho symbol of the Son at the head, and a dove representing the Holy Spirit on the right. At the base of the cross are the two tablets symbolizing the Old Testament and the Law of Moses. Above this symbol in the window is a globe surmounted by a cross, symbol of the triumph of the gospel.
The window in the right hand door symbolizes redemption through the Church based on Methodist teachings and the New Testament. The left and right arms symbolize two sacraments: baptism as shown by a shell on the left and communion on the right represented by chalice and host. These two sacraments are the physical aids of the Church to help the Christian achieve redemption and salvation as shown in the center panel by the ark with the cross behind it. As a foundation for this we have the teachings of the Church symbolized by a church on a hill in the bottom panel. The missionary spirit of the church is symbolized by the ship in the head of the cross.
A three-year capital fund program begun in 1971 raised approximately $58,300. With this money, the organ was redesigned and rebuilt at a cost of $27,000, a new gas furnace was installed, the Circle Room and church parlors were re-carpeted and redecorated, the church Sanctuary was painted, the Rose Window was covered with a protective acrylic cover, and the worship center of the church was enlarged. With the completion of these improvements, a Sesquicentennial celebration service was held at the church on November 1, 1971.
In 1981 another capital campaign successfully raised money to replace the original 107-year-old slate shingle roof with asphalt shingles underlaid with 30# felt, to provide protective acrylic covers for the stained glass Sanctuary windows, to repair and paint the metal and woodwork on the towers, and to care for other general maintenance and upkeep details.
Church member William Parsons volunteered to remove, disassemble, re-lead, and replace needed portions of all the stained glass windows over a five-year period from 1983-1988. In 1992 he continued his stained glass work by creating three windows in the kitchenette area between the Sanctuary and the Circle Room.
Through 1990, many ongoing maintenance repairs were completed repainting, replacing windows, waterproofing, and necessary replacing of bricks in the exterior of the church. In addition, the education building was covered with rubber roofing material, electrical rewiring was completed, and Italian marble tiles were installed in the narthex entry way at the front of the church.
In 1991-1993, an extensive restoration program was carried out in the Circle Room and Sanctuary. The choir and organ areas were reconstructed to to accommodate the new Schantz pipe organ, a gift given in memory of Edna Cope Quine. Walls were repainted and new carpeting installed, new pew cushions were made, and the ceiling replaced. A new audio sound system and booth were installed to enhance the church’s continuing broadcasting of Sunday services over the local radio station. Exact replicas of original doors and woodworking were manufactured and installed. The reredos that had been inserted in the Sanctuary in 1971 was removed and placed in the Circle Room. A part of the restoration at this time included the replacement of the front steps with granite slabs that had been part of the old Cleveland Press newspaper building in Cleveland. The church celebrated its restoration efforts with its 175th anniversary in 1995.
All of the restoration work culminated in 1998 with the addition of our church building into the National Register of Historic Places, largely through the research and writing efforts of church member Marcia Parsons. The building had previously been accepted into the Lake County Historical Society listing of historic sites.
A strong windstorm in 1998 caused the spire from the upper tower parapet to lean toward the ground. Consequently, yet another capital campaign was held that raised funds to have both towers rebuilt and repaired in 1999. A new and thicker acrylic protective cover was also installed over the Rose Window. All of these efforts cost approximately $236,000.
In 2001, the kitchen next to the social hall was renovated and modernized with new equipment, new cabinets, new flooring, and new painting. The cost of $63,000 was aided by a donation in memory of Audrey Cole for whom the kitchen was renamed. New complete dinnerware settings were also purchased.
A few years later, Fellowship Hall itself was gutted and redecorated. The old side benches were removed, new walls and flooring put in, support columns covered, and decorative glass in the window wells added. Additionally, a corner room was created for storage. Before new tables and chairs arrived, however, heavy rains that caused severe flooding of the Grand River in the City of Painesville, also “uncovered” a previously undetected defect in the west wall foundation of the church, thus causing extensive damage to the remodeled hall. Once the foundation wall had been repaired, the new flooring and some of the new walls also had to be replaced. With the final completion of this remodeling, Fellowship Hall was renamed Parsons Hall in honor of Marcia and Bill Parsons.
In the spring and summer of 2007, construction began to modify the side entrance to the church across from the Chapel, thereby creating an enclosure to house an elevator. This will provide access for handicapped individuals to all three levels of the church as well as an upper level connection to the education building. The youth of the church, along with their many other activities and mission trips, are working to gather funds to provide a cross and flame logo for this newly constructed entrance.
Through the years, the devoted stewardship of church members has provided the vision, the talent, the labor, and the funds to maintain and enhance this beautiful and historic building. We have been blessed.
White Gift Service
In 1904, the minister’s wife, Anna M. Winters, came across an old legend about “The King’s Birthday,” which told of a celebration where white gifts were brought before the king to show loyalty and love, but were wrapped in white paper so that both humble and extravagant gifts would be received with equal edification. This set her thinking – since Christmas was the observance of Our King’s birthday, why couldn’t a similar celebration be done with gifts to the church in honor of the Christ Child. This was the basis of our White Gift Service, the first of which was held right here at PUMC and over the many years since has been adopted by hundreds of churches around the world!
The original proposal for this service was presented to the Official Board of the church and then to Sunday School teachers and officers; the idea was enthusiastically endorsed by both groups. The initial plan noted that people are blessed individually with different gifts, and so the church body could offer not only gifts of Substance but also gifts of Service and Self. The students were asked to make a definite pledge of any of these contributions, sign it, and place it in the white envelope as their gift. At the first service, the envelopes were collected and emptied into a large new and shiny dishpan, and were found to total $300 when calculated afterward – or the 2022 equivalent of $10,045!
Each subsequent year brought new symbolism to the service including all church members. In the sanctuary a platform was usually draped in white with a green tree on each side, as the original legend said the king had done. At the proper time, white curtains were parted to reveal a large white cross. Then, depicting the nativity story in song and pageantry, shepherds and then three wise men came following the star to present their gifts while the hymn “We Three Kings of Orient” was sung. After the wise men arrived, those in the church wishing to make a gift brought their pledge card to the altar. Over the years this portrayal has been adapted based on changing needs throughout the life of the church, but has remained true to the original intent – to invite the congregation to commit themselves in self, service, or substance in honor of the birth of our Savior!
In 1944 our organist Ruth Zearfoss Herman introduced “The March of the Wise Men” to the procession during this service. The song has been played throughout the years by succeeding organists for each White Gift service, and depicts the story of the Wise Men as they journey to Bethlehem. The piece starts out with just organ pedal work, which represents the plodding of the camels carrying the Wise Men. Throughout the piece you can hear the Zimbelsterns on the organ, which represent the star over Bethlehem continuing throughout the entire piece. All of this gradually gets louder as the Wise Men approach Bethlehem. As the herald of the trumpets on the organ join in, the Wise Men have arrived, and at the very end you will hear only the star.
In 2023 we celebrated the 150th anniversary of our historic building right here at 71 N. Park Place, and in so doing presented a re-enactment of our PUMC-original White Gift service during our January 8th worship services as we celebrate the Wise Men finding the newborn King! As you reflect on your journey to the Savior, we invite you to consider ways in which you can be a part of the life of the Painesville United Methodist Church through self, service, and substance.
Susan B Anthony & Women’s Rights Convention
PUMC actually hosted a Women’s Suffrage Convention during a time when so many churches would have (and did!) objected to women being anything besides wives, mothers, and possibly teachers. Susan B. Anthony was actually in this building in 1885 advocating for equal rights for women! Alongside Ms. Anthony were also Lake Erie Seminary (now Lake Erie College) president Dr. Mary B. Evans, Helen Gougar (a female lawyer before women were ever allowed to vote!), and Painesville’s own Frances Jennings-Casement* (who set up the Equal Rights Association of Painesville in 1883). These ladies were in this space to promote the rights of women, along with the representatives of over 150 women’s rights organizations at that time! We were delighted to be able to work with Lakewood-based Women In History, a group dedicated to bringing historic characters “to life” in the most accurate way, to re-enact a portion of the 1885 Women’s Rights Convention during our 2023 Sesquicentennial Celebration. We are proud of our heritage and long-term support of equal rights here at PUMC!
*At the time of our re-enactment we were unable to experience Ms. Casement as a part of our program. However, we were delighted to welcome the character of Rev. Dr. Olympia Brown, the first female to be recognized in the United States as an ordained minister. Rev. Dr. Brown did spend significant time in Ohio and some time in Cleveland generating signatures for a petition of women to own their own homes, property, etc; however, she was never actually inside PUMC as far as we can tell. We were delighted to experience the re-enactment of her character during our Women in History weekend because Rev. Dr. Brown played such a significant role in women’s history and in the history of women in church leadership roles.


In the mid-1930s, nine out of ten rural homes across America had no electricity. While some rural towns like Ashton, Idaho had electricity, those living in outlying rural areas did not. Investor-owned utilities could not make a profit by bringing electricity to low-density homes and businesses in the countryside.
That changed in 1935 when President Roosevelt established the Rural Electrification Administration (REA). The REA provided loan money and expertise to help rural communities bring electricity to their farms.
Only a few years later, in December of 1938, a group of neighbors met around the warm stove in the Howe Lumber Company in Ashton, Idaho. These men were from the outlying areas of Ashton and had the dream of bringing electric power to their own homes. They formed Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.and began signing up members for what was to be a locally owned electric company, relying on members to donate land for power line right-of-ways. The first board of directors set the membership fee at $5.00 and loaned new members $10.00 to help them wire their homes for electric service.
Fall River received their first REA loan of $80,000 in 1939 to build the first 62 miles of power line. By fall of 1941, the areas surrounding Ashton, Rexburg, Ririe, and St. Anthony had electricity. That spring, the rural areas around Felt, Driggs, and Victor received power. In 1947, power lines were built to Island Park and West Yellowstone.
In November 1960, Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative took over providing power to all of Teton Valley, where the towns had previously been supplied with electricity since 1913 through the privately owned Teton Valley Power & Milling Company.
Today, Fall River still provides safe, reliable, and renewable electricity at the lowest cost possible to thousands of members in three states.
Sources: “A Shot in the Dark,” Teton Valley Magazine, Summer 2004; “Ashton, Idaho, The Centennial History 1906-2006,” by Glade Lyon.
Beginning with about 80 members back in the late 1930s, more than seventy-five years later Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. now has about 13,000 members. They have 50 employees and 3 offices. The Ashton office is the headquarters and there is an office in Driggs and West Yellowstone.
You may have noticed the solar panels and windmill outside of Fall River Rural Electric, these are being used for educational purposes for the members. And for members information, rebates are available if you change your windows, doors, insulation, irrigation equipment, etc. to be more efficient. Just call the office to receive more information @ 652-7431.
Visit their website at www.fallriverelectric.com


The auction has been closed.
Slowly but surely, we are completing our list of European flag carriers with another new arrival, this time from southern Europe: a big welcome to the former Alitalia Airbus A321 I-BIXN.
The Airbus A321 was delivered to the Italian Sky Team member with MSN 576 in 1996 and flew for Alitalia until 2019. It was christened “Piazza del Duomo CATANIA” and flew up to 200 passengers all the way across Europe.
In 2019, I-BIXN was finally retired and then recycled in May 2020. We’re thrilled to have been able to upcycle a part of Italian aviation history into our Aviationtags!


Founded by Ed Cunningham in 1961, Cunningham Optical One was an early pioneer of same-day service and remains a leader in vision care today. Ed believed in providing the most well-rounded customer experience, and his philosophy still guides the company today. Ed’s dream of producing quality lenses for less has been a reality for 50 years thanks to loyal employees and thousands of satisfied clients.
Always family owned and operated, and now in five Indiana locations, we’re still committed to providing the ultimate in selection, service and savings. We offer the finest products at competitive prices with no gimmicks, just as Ed wanted. That’s why thousands of people a year trust us for their eyeglasses.


Day 1: Budapest
Delhi to Delhi tour guests will report at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi as per the scheduled flight departure time and proceed to Budapest - also called the 'Little Paris' of Europe. Upon arrival in the afternoon, Discover Memories Tour Manager will guide all guests for airport formalities and proceed to the city. Today we enjoy Danube river cruise and admire the beauty of the Danube River - the magnificent scenic divider and connector of Buda and Pest.
Day 2: Budapest
Today we explore Budapest city, we see Heroes' Square – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the main squares in Budapest, stands in honour and memory of the great leaders in Hungary's history, Fishermen's Bastion - a fairy-tale castle on the Buda side of the city, is a lookout point which offers stunning panorama of Budapest, the historic Matthias Church – a Roman Catholic church, Gellert hill – a 235 m high hill overlooking the Danube River, Parliament house – a magnificent example of Neo-Gothic architecture, is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, Royal palace – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, also known as the Buda Castle, is the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings, the famous chain bridge on the Danube River - first permanent suspension bridge which connected Buda and Pest. Later we have free time for shopping at Vaci Street.
Day 3: Budapest – Bratislava
Today we proceed to Bratislava – The Capital of the Slovak Republic. Also referred to as the Beauty on the Danube. Upon arrival we explore Bratislava city, we see Old Town - an historic centre of Bratislava with cobbled streets, colourful pastel buildings and narrow pathways, St Martins Cathedral - Gothic church from the 15th century and the former coronation church, St Michael Tower- also known as Michael's Gate, is the only city gate that has been preserved of the medieval fortifications and ranks among the oldest town buildings. Later we drive through Most SNP - a road bridge over the river Danube. Commonly referred to as the UFO Bridge. In the afternoon, we visit Bratislava Castle – Visible from all over the city, the grand Renaissance palace dates back to the 16th century and now houses the Museum of History.
Day 4: Bratislava – Vienna
Today we proceed to Vienna – Capital of Austria, is one of the most visited cities of Europe. Upon arrival we visit Schonbrunn Palace – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an 18th century Baroque palace was the main summer residence of the Habsburg rulers and is one of the most important architectural, cultural, and historic monuments in the country. Later we explore Vienna city, we see Opera House - one of the finest Opera Houses in the world, Parliament Building - the monumental neoclassical building is the seat of the Austrian Parliament, City Hall – Neo-Gothic building that serves as the city's administrative centre, Hofburg Palace – the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty rulers and today serves as the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria, Heldenplatz - a public square and Ring Boulevard – also known as Ringstrasse, is a circular boulevard that surrounds Vienna's historical centre.
Day 5: Vienna – Brno – Prague
Today we proceed to Brno - second largest city of Czech Republic after Prague. It has a long and rich history that dates back as far as prehistoric times. Upon arrival we explore Brno city, we see Freedom Square - Brno’s most significant square, Church of St. James – a 13th century Late Gothic church, Moravian Square - One of the largest squares in Brno, Mahen Theatre – it was the first theatre in continental Europe with fully electric lighting. Later we proceed to Prague – also known as the ‘City of a Hundred Spires’, is the capital of Czech Republic
Day 6: Prague
Today we explore Prague city, we see Hradcany Castle - one of the biggest caste in the world. Built in 9th century and is the official office of the President of the Czech Republic, Cathedral of St. Vitus - a Roman Catholic metropolitan cathedral in Prague and is the seat of the Archbishop of Prague, Astronomical Clock - the most striking aspects of the clock are the moving 12 Apostles sculptures carved out of wood, Old Town Square - an historic square in the Old Town quarter of Prague, Charles Bridge - a stone Gothic bridge that crosses Vltava river and connects the Old Town and Lesser Town. Later we visit Terezin concentration camp - a poignant piece of World War II history and one the largest concentration camps in the Czech Republic. In the evening we enjoy Cruise on the river Vltava and admire the spectacular view of Prague.
Day 7: Prague - Departure
After breakfast check out from hotel & drop at Airport. Tour ends with endless memories, It’s time now to say goodbye!
- To and fro economy class air travel (Delhi-Hungary) (Prague-Delhi)
- Airport taxes
- Visa fee included
- Baggage Allowance as per the airline policy
- Tour Manager Services throughout the tour
- Travel by comfortable A/C coach as per the tour itinerary
- Entrance fees of all sightseeing places to be visited from inside
- 6Nights Accommodation in 3* or 4* hotels
- All Meals – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (set menu) as mentioned in the itinerary
- All Tips – Guide, Driver & Restaurants
- Cost of internal airfare as mentioned in the itinerary
- Travel Insurance
- GST 5% on package cost
- TCS 5%
- Any increase in Airfare, Visa fees, Airport taxes, Govt Taxes, Fuel Surcharges and any applicability of new taxes from Govt
- Any up gradation in Airline class or hotel room category
- Any Increase in the rate of exchange leading to an increase in all land arrangements which may come in to effect prior to departure
- Cost of pre or post tour hotel accommodation
- Any extra expense such as route change, Airline change, Date change, Accommodation facilities, etc incurred due to the unforeseen, unavoidable forced majeuere circumstances during the tour
- Cost of insurance for 60 years and above
- Porterage, laundry, telephone charges, shopping, wines & alcoholic beverages, items of personal nature and food or drink which is not part of a set group menu
- Any extra cost incurred on behalf of an individual due to illness, accident, hospitalization, or any personal emergency
- Any services or activity charges other than those included in the group tour itinerary
- Anything specifically not mentioned in the ‘tour price includes’ column


Berwickshire County Council established its Town and Country Planning Committee in June 1944 to deal with the first applications for planning permission under the Town and Country Planning (Interim Development) (Scotland) Act 1943. Lord Home [the father of Sir Alec Douglas-Home] was elected Chairman of the new committee. T. D. Anderson, from the council’s Roads Department was appointed Planning Officer, although he had no qualifications in town and country planning. He had a typist to assist him! Minor applications were dealt with by the County Clerk, in consultation with the Planning Officer. T. D. Anderson was also charged with undertaking a survey of the county, apart from Eyemouth Burgh where the Burgh Surveyor was asked to undertake this task.
In March 1946, the Government’s Department of Health for Scotland, which had the responsibility for planning at national level, met the council’s Town and Country Planning Committee to discuss the way forward, little progress having been made on the survey of the county. The Department of Health considered that additional staff were required and recommended the appointment of two planning assistants and a draughtsman in addition to the Planning Officer and his typist. However, the council considered that the size of the county did not warrant such a large department and was content with its Planning Officer and typist in support. Over the next year, the Department of Health for Scotland made further attempts to persuade the council to enlarge its staff but, with only an average of five planning applications a month, the council was not persuaded.
In March 1947, the council decided to merge the Planning and Property & Works Departments and T. D. Anderson took up the post of head of the new department. Two members of staff were transferred from the council’s Public Health Department to assist with the additional workload but all planning matters remained the responsibility of T.D. Anderson alone. In the immediate post-war period, the majority of planning applications submitted related to proposals by the burgh councils for new local authority housing and the majority of these applications were dealt with expeditiously. However, the burgh councils were consulted on all other applications submitted within their areas and this meant that these applications took longer, which was a cause for concern.
Following the dissolution of the Central and South-East Scotland Regional Advisory Committee, which had overseen the Frank Mears Study, and the enactment of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1947, which introduced development plans, the four border counties discussed how development planning might be co-ordinated across the Scottish Borders. Initial thoughts were that one development plan might be produced for the whole region and architect/planner, F.W.B. Charles, who had led the Frank Mears Study, was approached to prepare a development plan for the region. However, after considerable deliberation, it was decided (by the County Clerks) that, in view of the progress being made in Selkirkshire and Roxburghshire (and the estimated costs of employing a consultant), it would be more sensible for each county to produce their own development plan. It was agreed that a joint planning advisory committee should be established to ensure liaison between the counties.
In Berwickshire, with little progress on a survey of the area, the Department of Health for Scotland, in November 1948, again sought to persuade the council to appoint additional staff to undertake the preparation of the development plan and suggested that up to six staff were required. The council baulked at this but eventually agreed to appoint two planning assistants, who duly took up their posts in July 1949 and set to work on a survey of Eyemouth and Duns burghs. One of their first tasks was to bring the out-dated Ordnance Survey (OS) maps up-to-date, a major challenge for many planning departments at this time. In Berwickshire, the latest edition of the 1:25,000 OS maps was produced in 1908!
In December 1949, after further pressure from the Department of Health for Scotland, the council decided to appoint a consultant to prepare the development plan and, after interviewing three candidates, the council appointed architect/planner F.W.B. Charles and he quickly set to work. Unfortunately for the two planning assistants, appointed by the council in July 1949, they were not required by the planning consultant who had his own team and they were duly given notice to quit in February 1950, after only 9 months in the job.
T. D. Anderson continued to be responsible for dealing with the day-to-day activities of development control. Major Askew became the Chairman of the Planning and Property and Works Committee, as it had been called since March 1947, in May 1950. At this time, county council membership was dominated by the landed gentry, the clergy and other professional people. For instance, in July 1950, the Planning and Property and Works Committee comprised:
- Major Askew (Chairman)
- Brigadier Swinton
- Lieut. Col. Miller
- Rev. R. Hamilton
- Dr. Mitchell Innes
- Earl of Ellesmere (became Duke of Sutherland)
- Earl of Home
- Captain McDougall
- Rev. W.B. Paton
On the development control front, the emergence and expansion of holiday hut sites was a growing issue across the Scottish Borders in the late 1940s and 1950s, and Berwickshire was not immune. In Lauderdale, for instance, which was accessible from the urban area of Midlothian to the north, the illegal siting of buses, caravans, huts etc. caused increasing concern to the council’s elected members. A police report of September 1950 itemises twelve buses, trailers, railway carriages, caravans and huts in the Oxton area, such as:
- Railway carriage without wheels, three rooms, fenced in and concrete paving laid round; Occupier: James Bryson, Dalkeith;
- Tramcar; Occupier: Reynolds Arnott, Edinburgh;
- Double-deck bus on wheels; Occupier: J. Allan, Tranent.
In October 1950, the council decided to split the Planning and Property & Works Department into two and T. D. Anderson was appointed County Planning Officer. Progress continued on the preparation of the development plan with F.W.B. Charles producing town maps for the burghs and the other main settlements. Each of these was the subject of consultation with the respective burgh councils.
In 1952, with the election of Major Askew as Chairman of the County Council, Brigadier Swinton took over chairmanship of the Planning and Property and Works Committee. The continued illegal siting of railway carriages, caravans and shacks in various parts of the county prompted the county council to establish a Camping and Caravans Sub-Committee with the aim of taking enforcement action to remove the illegal encampments and encourage bone-fide mobile caravan sites in suitable locations.
By September 1953, a Draft Report of Survey, together with Town Maps for Duns, Eyemouth, Chirnside, Coldstream and Lauder, had been completed by F.W.B. Charles. His involvement in the development plan ceased at this stage, co-incidentally he had moved from Edinburgh to the English Midlands, and John B. Hall of J & J Hall, Architects in Galashiels, who had prepared the Selkirkshire County Development Plan was approached to complete the development plan. After a number of meetings and deliberations over the cost of appointing John B Hall, the architect withdrew his interest in taking over the development plan in September 1954 due to health issues. Under continuing pressure from the Department of Health for Scotland, approaches were made to East Lothian Council to discuss the possibility of its County Planning Officer, Frank Tindall, who had completed the East Lothian County Development Plan, to undertake the Berwickshire County Development Plan. Although the County Planning Officer was enthusiastic, the council would not release him. With little progress over the ensuing two years, the council approached Midlothian County Council to enlist the services of its County Planning Officer, John Baillie. Midlothian County Council agreed and John Baillie was appointed in January 1957 as planning consultant with responsibility for finalising and submitting the development plan to the Secretary of State.
By the mid-1950s, the number of planning applications received each year had risen to over 200 per annum. The number of applications for illuminated signs at petrol filling stations, hotels and public houses increased as such businesses sought to cater for the growing number of car-borne travellers. In the late-1950s, the first rumblings about visitor pressures at Coldingham Sands is evidence in committee minutes.
After three years of deliberation over such matters as the siting of new industry, a by-pass for Coldstream and the upgrading of the A697, the County Development Plan was agreed in draft form, for consultation with the burghs and other parties, in December 1959. It was agreed to extend the agreement with Midlothian County Council over the services of John Ballie, its County Planning Officer, until December 1960. In June 1960, the council received its 3000th planning application, an average of 200 per annum since 1945. The Planning Department moved from the Council Buildings in Newtown Street, Duns to Southfield Lodge on Station Road.
The County Development Plan was finally submitted to the Secretary of State in December 1960. The Plan was prepared on the assumption that the 1957 population of 23,753 would at least be retained, additional population in the burghs off-setting the decline in population in the landward area. It was not envisaged that there would be any demand for housing in the landward area and no housing allocations were made outside the burghs of Eyemouth, Duns, Coldstream and Lauder, and Chirnside and Earlston. It was the policy of the county council to encourage industrial development, although there appeared little prospect of attracting industry to Berwickshire, and sites for industry were identified in the burghs and Chirnside and Earlston. Harbour improvements at Eyemouth were proposed. A long list of road proposals for the trunk roads (A1 and A68) and the A697 were identified, with by-passes for all the main towns and villages on these roads, such as Ayton, Reston, Grantshouse and Cockburnspath on the A1, Lauder and Earlston on the A68 and Coldstream on the A698. In the landward area, the Lammermuir Hills, the coastal strip and the Tweed Valley around Dryburgh, Bemersyde and Scott’s View were identified as Areas of Great Landscape Value.
In the next post we shall see how Berwickshire County Council reacted to the continuing decline in employment opportunities and population in the county and to the rapidly changing circumstances of the 1960s brought about by increasing mobility and changing patterns of leisure and recreation.


We are pleased to share with you below the details of a two-day exhibition in London (18-19 May 2019) marking ten years since the final stages of Sri Lanka’s civil war, a period in which tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed, mostly by government shelling. The exhibit is free and open to all, so please do join – whether it be to remember, engage, or get informed. Further information about the event, which is being organised by the Tamil Information Centre, is available here.
The 18th of May 2019 will mark the ten-year anniversary of the end of the war in Ilankai/Sri Lanka. It was a period of immense trauma and violence; the Sri Lankan forces defeated the Tamil Tigers in a brutal, indiscriminate military assault. Tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed. Many more were injured, displaced and detained in camps in the final months of the war and for years afterwards. Ten years on, there has been no accountability for the enormous loss of life, for war crimes and for human rights abuses.
Across the world, in May, the Tamil community will hold memorialisation services and activities in order to honour the dead and keep the memory of atrocity alive. It will be an important time for collective mourning, reflection and education. For our part, the Tamil Information Centre is arranging a two-day Exhibition, entitled ‘Tamils of Lanka: A Timeless Heritage.’ The exhibition will be held in Tolworth Recreation Centre, Fullers Way North, Surbiton KT6 7LQ, on the 18th and 19th of May 2019, from 11:00am to 06:00pm.
The exhibition is envisioned as a space for memory and community togetherness, reflecting not only on the human rights abuses and repression over years of war but also the Tamil community’s resilience and creativity. The exhibition will include informative, interactive displays and artwork that relate to the lives of Tamil- speaking people. For example, contemporary photography, protest and political resistance, food and culture, original artwork, explorations of history and ideas of ‘home’, and a room dedicated to the horrors of Mullivaikal – the stretch of beach where thousands were killed in the final months of the war. We also have an exciting and varied programme of speakers and workshops, and cultural events in the evenings.


Austin’s historic hotel, The Driskill, completes two years of renovations in time to celebrate its 130th anniversary.
To step inside the iconic Driskill is to walk out of bustling downtown Austin into the past. Not resting on its laurels as the city’s oldest hotel, the Driskill—built in 1886—has finished $8.8 million in upgrades. Houston-based Rottet Studio worked with The Driskill’s team on a revamped aesthetic that began in 2014 with the 1886 Café & Bakery and finished with the 189 updated guest rooms and The Driskill Grill at the end of 2015.
“We wanted to create an experience that would convey the rich history of the hotel while providing guests with modern luxuries,” says hotel general manager Lance Stumpf. “The design team researched archival photos and drew on the work of renowned German artist and photographer Reinhard Görner for inspiration, which can be seen [in] the renovated rooms—from the city grid carpet to the hand-painted walls behind each bed.” 604 Brazos St., 512-439-1234


Valentine’s day is a time set aside every year to celebrate true relationship, love, and romantic admiration. It is marked on the 14th of every year with the sending of flowers, messages of love and affection to people that we care for. The history of this love celebration is still shrouded in myth and mystery to these days. Who was Saint Valentine?
The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Still others insist that it was Saint Valentine of Terni, a bishop, who was the true namesake of the holiday. He, too, was beheaded by Claudius II outside Rome.
Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first “valentine” greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl–possibly his jailor’s daughter–who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine,” an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and–most importantly–romantic figure. By that time Valentine would become one of the most popular saints in England and France.


The nation’s celebrations focused on Windsor, April 2016, where Her Majesty The Queen celebrated her 90th Birthday, with Arena Group supplying ceremonial structures.Across Arena Group’s 250 year heritage supplying temporary structures includes many historic and royal occasions, creating structures with a finish fit for a Queen. It was another proud moment in the company’s modern history when Arena Structures installed a 6x3m lined pagoda roof and an extended red carpet walkway to a bandstand. Arena Group also installed a conductor’s box (1sqm), with sister company Spaceworks providing 11 Gilt Chairs for Her Majesty and VIP guests.
The Queen enjoyed the bandstand opening, project managed by Martin Denny Management on behalf of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, which included a showcase of performances from local school children.
Grahame Muir, CEO UK & Europe of Arena Group commented: “It was a privilege to be involved with such a momentous celebration in the monarch’s history. This project showcases our experience working on royal events such as the Diamond Jubilee and state visits. We worked closely with Martin Denny Management to ensure that the project was delivered at the highest of standards befitting of the event’s audience.”
Martin Denny adds: “Arena Group were a pleasure to work with from start to finish, working to exact timescales they delivered the entire project in an incredibly professional manner. High standards were maintained throughout the build and de-rig and we look forward to working with them again soon.”


Cheviot Hills is bordered on the west by Rancho Park, on the south by Palms, on the north by Century City, and on the east by Beverlywood. The district's boundaries are, roughly, Manning Avenue on the west, the Santa Monica Freeway on the south, Pico Boulevard on the north, and Castle Heights Avenue on the east. Principal thoroughfares include Pico and National Boulevards and Manning and Motor Avenues.
Originally a part of the Spanish Rancho Rincon de los Bueyes land grant, Cheviot Hills remained a pastoral area well into the 20th century. In the early 1920s, the area was subdivided, but significant residential development did not occur until the late 1930s. The hills that provide the district with its name offer excellent views of much of the Los Angeles Basin, resulting in most of Cheviot Hills' population being fairly affluent. Housing in the district consists of upscale single-family homes in the northern portions, with smaller houses and apartment buildings closer to the Santa Monica Freeway.
As a secluded neighborhood centered around golf courses (the Beverly Hills Country Club in the southern part of the district, and the Rancho Park course at the northern end), Cheviot Hills has long been popular among empty-nesters and the elderly. Cheviot Hills is considered one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Los Angeles.


A short distance from the birthplace of Scotland’s national bard and a stone’s throw from the Auld Brig O’ Doon, immortalised in Tam O’Shanter, is Millbrae, the picturesque home of Ayr RFC.
Millbrae became Ayr’s home in 1964, the club having moved from the original ground at Newton Park to Dam Park, then to the Old Racecourse and King George V playing fields before finally taking up residence in Alloway. Newton Park is now the venue of international bowls competitions, Dam Park is an athletics stadium and King George V is given over to soccer, although its claim to fame came from the time of a full Scottish trial was staged there in 1958, every other ground in Scotland being frost-bound.
Many past players will remember the Old Racecourse, its pitches having been used by Ayr Academy on Saturday mornings before the club played in the afternoon. Many an enthusiastic youngster turned out on the same pitch twice on the same day.
CONTRIBUTION OF AYR ACADEMY
Ayr Academy’s contribution to the club in terms of players has been inestimable (a role taken on in recent years by other local schools). Although never an FP club, any Ayr side until the late 1960s would contain around ten or eleven Ayr Academy FPs. This rich seam allowed Ayr to turn out six teams every Saturday in the sixties to mid-seventies. Instrumental in the flow of talent to the club were two legendary figures, rector J Douglas Cairns and PE master TB Watson. They produced a school team in 1958 which was, and ever will remain, unique in that it contained a future England captain in Mike Denness, a future Scottish soccer captain in Ian Ure, and a future Scottish rugby captain in Iain McLauchlan, the Lions’ ‘Mighty Mouse’ who earned forty-three caps.
As is the case with so many clubs, Ayr’s beginnings stemmed from the boys of a rugby school returning after university or spells abroad and looking to continue playing. So it was that in 1897 the club was born, with Andrew Gray, Angus and Norman Lindsay, Ralston Watt, W McLachlan, David Highet and James Templeton among the founding members who adopted the famous cerise and black colours. Sadly, only Highet returned from the Boer War.
The club flourished in the early years of the century, undertaking their first tour in 1906 with Irish fixtures against Landsdowne and Monkstown. Progress continued before and after the First World War and club stalwarts like Eddie Ecrepont, Hunter Cosh, Tim Wilson and Eddie Cassie are frequently mentioned in club annals, the last-named being the first man to fly a Spitfire out of Prestwick. Two particular names stand out as players, supporters and administrators – Dr Lawrence Young and Harold Tetley.
Ronnie Boon, who had twelve caps for Wales in the early 1930s and was lionised for masterminding Wales’ first victory at Twickenham, captained Ayr in 1936/37 during a stint as a teacher at Ayr Academy.
However, the outstanding club stalwart was the indefatigable Jock 'Stiffy' McClure who played for the club until just short of his sixtieth birthday but was robbed of international caps by the Second World War. He played for the British Empire side against France and for Scotland in Victory internationals against Ireland and England, yet no cap was awarded to this fine player who encouraged many to play rugby while teaching at Cumnock Academy and Ayr Academy.
THE MOVE TO MILLBRAE
During the 1950s the growth in paying membership and the development of the fixture list made the acquisition of club rooms a necessity and these were provided in the premises of the local ice rink, while Ayr United’s Somerset Park was made available for training. However, to have all facilities in one location the club purchased Millbrae, a former orchard, in late 1962. All legal and administrative matters were handled by local solicitor Alistair McMillan whose influence on the development of the club was immense, including twenty-one years as fixture secretary.
This was the beginning of the modern era of Ayr. On 4th September 1965, the inaugural match was played between an Ayr President’s XV and an International Select. The installation of floodlights (upgraded in 1990 and again in 2012) and the extension of both the social and changing facilities have made the club the envy of many, and with this progressive attitude came success on the field. In the year of its inception, Ayr reached the final of the Glasgow Cup, losing to Glasgow HSFP, but in 1967/68, the year of their acceptance into the unofficial championship, Ayr lifted the trophy after a thrilling final against West of Scotland at Auldhouse.
With the formation of the national leagues, Ayr was placed in Division 2 in 1973 where they remained before dropping to Division 3 for season 1981/82. The winning of Division 3 and 2 in successive seasons took the club to Division 1 and Ayr played in the top league for six out of the next seven seasons. Too many quality players from a successful team retired around the same time and it was not until 2003 that Ayr again achieved Premier Division status, a position that will not be given up easily.
CAPS / REPRESENTATIVE HONOURS
Throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s Ayr produced players of quality. One who played and went on to be capped out of London Scottish was Alistair Boyle. Although supplying players to the Glasgow side (and Glasgow clubs) Ayr had to wait until 1977 for the first home-grown player to gain international honours. Winger David Ashton won his B cap against France and in the following year John Brown was in the B side at full back in the same fixture.
In 1980 Stephen Munro won the first of his ten full caps, against Ireland, the last coming in the Welsh match of the 1984 Grand Slam season. Probably Ayr’s finest hour in representative terms came in December 1984 when five players – skipper Alan Brown, half-backs George Nicolson and Grant Steel, and wing forwards David Brown and Colin McCallum – lined up for Glasgow against the touring Australians. The Brown brothers certainly made impact on rugby in Ayr.
Other Ayr players who gained international caps at other clubs were Gordon Strachan, Quintin Dunlop, Derek Stark and Derrick Lee. In 2013, hooker Pat MacArthur made his debut against the Springboks during Scotland's tour of South Africa. Prop Gordon Reid earned his first cap in 2014, as did centre Mark Bennett and stand-off Finn Russell, who have gone on to light up the Rugby World Cup in 2015.
Gordon Strachan left Ayr Academy and played for Ayr before going to Jordanhill College where he gained five caps while playing for the successful Jordanhill team. He returned to Ayr in the late seventies to play and captain the club. Gordon coached Ayr after he hung up his boots, leading them from the 3rd to the 1st Division and inspiring the club to some of its finest victories.
Quintin Dunlop captained Ayr in the late seventies after his one cap with West of Scotland.
Derek Stark, Ayr’s 'Rolls Royce' flying winger, gained B caps at Ayr, but the nine full caps came after he left the club as Ayr had been relegated to the 2nd Division. This man of many clubs won caps with Boroughmuir, Glasgow Hawks and Melrose.
Derrick Lee played for Ayr from the ages of 8 to 18, gaining Scotland representation at all junior age groups. Unfortunately, university in Edinburgh meant he chose a local club (Watsonians) and he gained his twelve caps during the last ten years playing for London Scottish and Edinburgh.
INTERNATIONAL TEAM AT MILLBRAE
To celebrate the opening of the stand on 28th April 1979, British Lion Gordon Brown and Ayr skipper Quintin Dunlop put together possibly the finest international side ever to face a club in a match of this kind. There were eleven British Lions and six players who had captained their country: A McKibben (Ire); L Dick (Scot); I McGeechan (Scot); J Spencer (Eng); M Slemen (Eng); P Bennet (Wal); A Lewis (Wal); I McLauchlan (Scot); R Windsor (Wal); F Cotton (Eng); G Brown (Scot); W McBride (Ire); N McEwan (Scot); R Uttley (Eng); J Squire (Wal).
All of the above is suitably embellished in a history of the club which was compiled to coincide with the club’s centenary celebrations by the club archivist Ian Hay. Copies of the Centenary Book are available from the Admin. Sec., Ayr RFC, Millbrae, Alloway, Ayr for £12.50 (inclusive of postage).
In 1981 the club undertook a tour to North America, where the foundations were laid for the successful sides of the 1980s.
The foundations for recent success were laid in the support of a youth system which boasts 250 players from 8 to 17 years of age and is providing quality 1st team players, allied with the acquisition of increasingly better Antipodean players who have returned Ayr to the Premier Division in Scottish rugby.
In 2008/2009 the 1st XV provided the success that so many had craved for so long in winning the Premier 1 Championship. The club followed this up with a very close run league in 2009/2010. They also were the most successful Scottish representatives in the inaugural British and Irish Cup and on a glorious day in April 2010 became the Scottish Cup holders for the first time, successfully defending the Cup the next season. Ayr again reached the Cup final in 2012, losing out to Gala, but it was the 2012/2013 season that was to be Ayr's most successful ever. They regained their place in the British and Irish Cup, became the first club to have their name on the Bill McLaren Shield and did a historic double of winning both the RBS Premier League and the RBS Scottish Cup.
Much has been achieved in the past, much has been done now; the challenge for coaches, players and club officials at all levels is to keep Ayr Rugby Football Club at the very top of Scottish Rugby.


Black British History in the Primary History Curriculum
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This course will cover:
• To examine ways of developing our primary history curriculum so that it includes an increased focus on Black British History.
• To create and construct inclusive teaching sequences in history which enhance impact and transform learning.
• To exemplify historical teaching sequences which emphasise chronology, enquiry, making connections and communicating findings.
• To consider the significance of black lives in the pupils’ own locality.
• To examine a theme in Black British History that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066.
This course aims to examine ways of developing our primary history curriculum so that it more closely reflects our multi-ethnic, diverse society by increasing the focus on Black British History.
Over the last twelve months, during our History Subject Leader Network Meetings, we have deliberately told the stories of significant black lives and Britain's relationship with Africa and Africans living in Lancashire, Britain, The Caribbean, North America and also in Africa itself. In Key Stage One, we celebrated the significance of Nelson cricketer Learie Constantine. In our Lower Key Stage Two unit we considered the significance of the Lancashire Cotton Industry to the people of Lancashire and its links to 1.8 million slaves on the cotton plantations in North America. In Upper Key Stage Two, we focussed upon the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
This course will bring these materials together into a full-day course expanding them and tying them together into a coherent whole. We will examine how these units can fit into history long-term planning whilst also discussing how to reinstate BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) voices into our primary history curriculum.
A companion publication to this course, which provides detailed planning guidance for the Key Stage One and Key Stage Two Black History units, will be available for purchase.


More than 500 years ago...
... on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther sparked the Reformation when he challenged the papacy and the Roman Catholic Church for selling indulgences for the forgiveness of sins and boldly proclaimed that salvation is not found in works but in Christ Jesus through GRACE alone, by FAITH alone, according to SCRIPTURE alone. Luther preached the importance of education for ALL people, not just elite males. He pressed for the opening of new schools, recommended monasteries be turned into schools, and sought to ensure that every parish had its own school. The Reformation continues to have far reaching effects touching everything from our Constitution, to biblical literacy, to education for all people, to the origin and mission of our Lutheran School system. As a result, this historic 500th anniversary presents a powerful opportunity for our Lutheran schools to individually and collectively reflect on the courage of Martin Luther and give thanks for the opportunity to proclaim God’s truth and share His love for all people.
The Story of the Reformation
Why the 95 theses of Martin Luther matter today
Late in 1517, Martin Luther was a little-known monk and professor at a new university in Wittenberg Germany, a minor town on the outskirts of the Holy Roman Empire. Although he had previously taught against unscriptural doctrines, he was virtually invisible to the powers in Rome.
Invisible, that is, until he stepped into the indulgence controversy. The papal court was participating in an elaborate financial scheme whereby the sale of indulgences—papal certificates to forgive sins—would help finance the rebuilding of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. When Luther heard of these sales in a neighboring area, he wrote 95 theses for academic disputation, condemning the sale of indulgences. When, on October 31st of that year, he nailed the theses to the door of Wittenberg’s castle church, they were soon copied and widely dispersed. Suddenly Luther was quite visible, directly in the cross-hairs of the papal court.
Many prominent voices in Luther’s time were critical of the corrupt papacy, but Luther’s message was different. He called not only for moral reform, but for theological reform. The sale of indulgences was merely a symptom of departures from Scriptural teachings such as justification by faith alone, through grace alone, for the sake of Christ alone. Luther was soon excommunicated, and his teachings banned.
He was not easily silenced, however. He preached, taught, and wrote prolifically, all the while longing for Mother Church to return in unity to her apostolic roots. There appeared to be an opportunity in 1530, when Emperor Charles V called for a meeting of imperial leaders at Augsburg. The goal was to heal the religious differences that plagued the Empire from within, while the Turks were a threat from without. The Lutherans presented a sound and winsome case in the Augsburg Confession, but the papal faction was hardened against their teachings. Religion would remain a dividing factor in the Empire, and Luther’s reform would remain a reformation, an institutional division that marks the Church even today.
Concordia University Irvine is “guided by the Great Commission of Christ Jesus and the Lutheran Confessions.” We rejoice that Christ came for all (John 1:29) and that we are saved by grace through faith in Him. Confident in the Gospel, we welcome students from a wide variety of backgrounds, as we pray and work for the unity of the Church, which is redeemed by Christ and always reforming.
(Excerpt from Concordia University)


The fourth Saturday in November is Holodomor Remembrance Day in Ukraine recalling a brutal act of genocide against Ukrainians, a term originally coined by a Lviv Jewish scholar. Traditionally, on this day, citizens attend a memorial service and lay symbolic pots of grain and candles at the monuments to victims of the Holodomor, meaning «to kill by starvation,» in Ukraine. At 16:00 they light candles around the city and honor the memory of the victims with a minute of silence.
If you visit the monument on Svoboda (Freedom) Avenue in Lviv, devoted to famed Ukrainian writer Taras Shevchenko, you will see two features: The statue itself of Shevchenko and the symbolic «Wave of National Revival», which depicts the history of Ukraine. If you have a look at the back of the wave on which Shevchenko seems to ride, you will see exhausted bodies of already dead and dying people and a woman with a boy watching the death. It is this picture that reminds us of the tragedy of the 20th century – the Holodomor of 1932-33.
In the 20th century, Ukrainians survived three famines: 1921-1923, 1932-1933, and 1946-1947. The famine of 1932-1933, however, was the worst, when the communist Soviet authorities, headed by Joseph Stalin, purposefully deprived Ukrainian villagers of any provision during a time of drought and poor crops. These actions were presented as emergency «grain procurements,» though the Soviets took away any food they could find in the people’s homes, and hiding even a portion of grain was considered «looting of state property» (introduced by the Law of Spikelets).
The leadership of the Soviet Union concealed the death of Ukrainians from artificial starvation. Only after Ukraine declared independence in 1991 did an investigation into the Holodomor begin and it now has been recognized as genocide at the legislative level and in court. Currently, Ukraine and 23 other countries have proclaimed the Holodomor a genocide against Ukrainian people (Germany may be the next to acknowledge this as an act of genocide soon, on November 30).
According to historians, during 1932−1933, millions of innocent people fell victim to the famine in Ukraine caused by the administrative measures of the Soviet government. Below, there are the most important facts about Ukraine’s biggest tragedy:
1. The Holodomor in Ukraine lasted 17 months – from April 1932 to November 1933. According to various estimates, between 4 and 7 million people died, although some historians indicate 10-11 million dead.
2. In the spring of 1933, historians say, 17 people died every minute, 1,000 – every hour, and almost 25,000 – every day from the famine.
3. In the documents of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine, there is evidence of how in the autumn of 1932, the so-called «green echelons» were organized from Ukraine to provide industrial centers of Russia with food for the October holidays. Sowing material was exported from starving Ukraine, and also even pickles, cabbage and tomatoes, leaving people doomed to starvation.
4. According to Soviet government orders, any trade in rural areas was banned and food supplies to villages were suspended. Any use of bread as wages to the workers was prosecuted and punished for 10 years in prison and execution in areas that did not comply with grain procurement plans, provision was being confiscated as fine. The share of Ukrainian grain in the all-Union volume of grain procurement reached more than a third, and in some regions exceeded the targets for the North Caucasus, Central-Black Earth region, Kazakhstan and the Moscow region combined.
5. The former Kharkiv and Kyiv oblasts (now Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Kyiv, Zhytomyr) suffered the most from the famine. They account for 52.8% of deaths. The mortality rate here exceeded the average level by 8-9 or more times.
Two alumni of the Lviv Law School, extraordinary personalities who held leading positions in various United Nations bodies and became the founders of the basic postulates of international law and the concept of human rights – Raphael Lemkin and Hersch Lauterpacht.
Raphael (Rafael) Lemkin – scientist, Holodomor researcher, was the first in the world to introduce the term «genocide» – for actions against a group of people united by a common trait. He was the first international law expert to call the crimes of the Stalinist communist regime against Ukrainians genocide and analyze it in the context of an international convention.
Sir Hersh Lauterpacht – a prominent international lawyer who played a major role in the preparation of the Nuremberg Trials and became the author of the definition «crime against humanity» – that is, the systematic destruction of a large group of people.
You can read more about Lemkin and Lauterpacht in the book «East West Street: On the Origins of ‘Genocide’ and ‘Crimes Against Humanity,’ by Philippe Sands, a grandchild of a Leopolitan.
By Iryna Bilynska, Joe Lindsley
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Lviv Now is an English-language website for Lviv, Ukraine’s «tech-friendly cultural hub.» It is produced by Tvoe Misto («Your City») media-hub, which also hosts regular problem-solving public forums to benefit the city and its people.


Hermanus (originally called Hermanuspietersfontein, but shortened as the name was too long for the postal service), is a town on the southern coast of the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is famous for southern right whale watching during the southern winter and spring and is a popular retirement town. The whales can be seen from the cliffs in the town centre as early as June and usually depart in early December. They were once hunted in the nearby town of Betty’s Bay, but are now protected to ensure the survival of the species. The Old Harbour Museum contains several exhibitions that explain the whaling industry, and the De Wetshuis Photo Museum houses an exhibition of photos by T D Ravenscroft that depicts the history of Hermanus. The Whale Museum houses a skeleton of a whale and shows an audio-visual presentation of whales and dolphins twice daily.
Hermanus lies along Walker Bay on the south coast of the Western Cape. It is located about 115 km southeast of Cape Town and is connected to the Mother City by the R43 highway (or coastal R44 scenic route) and N2 motorway. The R43 continues to Cape Agulhas, the most southerly point of Africa. Hermanus is 40 km from Gansbaai, a famous spot where one can dive amongst the Great White Sharks. It is also notable that Hermanus still boasts a historic railway station building without a railway line. The founders of the town decided not to lay any tracks as this would have made Hermanus more commercial and felt that Hermanus needed to stay a small Fisherman’s Village. To this day the locals still refer to it as “the village.”


On 4 July 1901, Sultan Jahan assumed the title of ruler of Bhopal at the mature age of 43 after serving 33 arduous, harrowing years under Shahjehan as heir apparent. All three preceding Begums had mounted the masnad at a young age – Qudsia was 19 when she became regent of Bhopal, Sikandar was regent of Bhopal at 26, while Shahjehan was titular ruler of Bhopal at the age of seven and full fledged Begum of Bhopal at 30. As she was proclaimed ruler of Bhopal, Sultan Jahan looked older then her 43 years. Immediately after Shahjehan’s death, the British moved quickly to announce her succession as ruler of Bhopal. The Investiture Durbar was held at Saddar manzil of Bhopal, at which Mr Wyndham represented Lord Curzon, the Viceroy and Governor-General of India, the first assistant to the resident.
As Sultan Jahan took over the states administration, she found that the cupboard was bare. Shajehan and Siddiq’s henchmen had dissipated the finances to the extent that the state was heavily in debt and only 40,000 rupees were left in the treasury. A fighter by nature, Sultan Jahan resolved to put matters right, rolled up her sleeves and began the uphill task of rehabilitation and revival. For over a year Sultan Jahan built up her own team of upright and conscientious officials who helped her put the ship of state back on an even keel.
Sultan Jahan’s first task was to gain confidence of her rural subjects and helping Bhopal recover from Shahjehan’s lax and divisive rule. Sultan Jahan’s visit to the outlying villages was not simply representational tours, but serious attempts at seeking solutions to agrarian problems. The atmosphere was all work and austerity, with long hours spent listening to the plaints of village folks. There was no shikar, polo playing or midnight revelry as in Shahjehan’s days, but an ambiance of rigorous hard work for herself and her staff. She inducted her grown-up sons, Nasrullah and Obaidullah, into the process of governance and administration and even “little Hamid”, her eight-year-old third son, accompanied his mother to be given a taste of royal responsibility.


Fettuccine, Cannelloni, Macaroni; let's face it, the Italian's passion for pasta is romantic and today we enjoy simple fast recipe creations that are some of the most enjoyable to eat time and time again. Italy has 20 different regions. Travel with pasta, Tuscany vs Sicily, here is some fun and slightly intellectual facts of the history of pasta.
The modern word "macaroni" derives from the Sicilian term for kneading dough with energy. Pasta making in early times was often a labour intensive, all day process. It goes to show that even back then, without computers and the hustle and bustle of city living, thought was given to make processes more efficient.
A dream to drink wine and eat pasta in Tuscany brings forth the rich red vinos to complement the hearty red sauces.
The well known island of Sicily is enriched with history with flavours from their previous Arab conquerors, mixed with local seafood and sardines, sweet tomatoes and wild fennel which grew on the island.
The History of Pasta
Nothing says Italy like its food, and nothing says Italian food like pasta. Pasta is integrant part of Italy’s food history Wherever Italians immigrated they have brought their pasta along, so much so today it can be considered a staple of international cuisine. Unlike other ubiquitous Italian products like pizza and tomato sauce, which have a fairly recent history, pasta may have a much older pedigree, going back hundreds -if not thousands- of years. Unravelling the long and often complex history of this dish we have to look at its origins and some of the myths surrounding it.
Many school children were taught that the Venetian merchant Marco Polo brought back pasta from his journeys to China (along with gelato, some believed...). Some may have also learnt that Polo's was not a discovery, but rather a rediscovery of a product once popular in Italy among the Etruscans and the Romans. Well, Marco Polo might have done amazing things on his journeys, but bringing pasta to Italy was not one of them: noodles were already there in Polo's time.
There is indeed evidence of an Etrusco-Roman noodle made from the same durum wheat used to produce modern pasta: it was called "lagane" (origin of the modern word for lasagna). However this type of food, first mentioned in the 1st century AD, was not boiled, as it is usually done today, but ovenbaked. Ancient lagane had some similarities with modern pasta, but cannot be considered quite the same. The country will have to wait a few centuries for its most popular dish to make a further culinary leap forward.
Like so much of southern Italian life, the Arabic invasions of the 8th century heavily influenced regional cuisine. Today, the presence of Arabic people in the south of the peninsula during the Middle Ages is considered the most likely reason behind the diffusion of pasta.
The modern word "macaroni" derives from the Sicilian term for kneading dough with energy, as early pasta making was often a laborious, day-long process. How these early dishes were served is not truly known, but many Sicilian pasta recipes still include typically middle eastern ingredients, such as raisins and cinnamon, which may be witness to original, medieval recipes.
This early pasta was an ideal staple for Sicily and it easily spread to the mainland since durum wheat thrives in Italy's climate. Italy is still a major producer of this hard wheat, used to make the all-important semolina flour.


The Open Championship, often referred to simply as The Open, is the oldest and one of the most prestigious golf championships in the world. It has a rich and storied history that dates back to the 19th century, captivating golfers and fans alike with its tradition, challenges, and memorable moments. Let’s explore the history of The Open Championship:
Origins and Early Years:
The inaugural Open Championship took place in 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. The tournament was organized by the Prestwick Golf Club’s captain, Allan Robertson, and professional golfer Tom Morris Sr. It featured a field of just eight golfers who played three rounds on the twelve-hole Prestwick course. Willie Park Sr., one of the prominent early golfers, emerged as the champion, claiming the Challenge Belt.
The Claret Jug and the Expansion:
In 1872, the original Challenge Belt was replaced with the now-iconic Claret Jug, which remains the trophy awarded to the winner of The Open Championship to this day. The tournament grew in popularity and expanded to include more players from across the United Kingdom. Prestigious golf courses such as St Andrews, Muirfield, and Royal St George’s became regular hosts for the championship.
Early Dominance and the Rise of Young Talent:
From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, a handful of golfers dominated The Open Championship. Legendary figures like Harry Vardon, James Braid, and John Henry Taylor etched their names in golf history with their multiple victories. Known as the “Great Triumvirate,” they combined for a total of 16 Open Championship titles between 1894 and 1914.
Post-War Era and Global Expansion:
After a hiatus due to the two World Wars, The Open Championship resumed in 1920. The tournament expanded its international reach, welcoming players from around the world. Golfers from the United States started participating and achieving success, with notable champions like Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones, and Ben Hogan leaving their mark on the championship.
Modern Era and Iconic Moments:
In recent decades, The Open Championship has witnessed numerous memorable moments. In 1977, Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus engaged in the famous “Duel in the Sun” at Turnberry, producing a thrilling battle for the ages. The championship has also seen international players such as Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods leaving an indelible impact with their triumphs.
Continued Prestige and Tradition:
Today, The Open Championship maintains its status as one of golf’s most prestigious events. It is considered one of the four major championships in professional golf, attracting the world’s best players. The tournament continues to rotate among various renowned golf courses in the United Kingdom, providing a unique test of skill, strategy, and adaptability to changing weather conditions.
With its rich history spanning over a century and a half, The Open Championship holds a special place in golf lore. Each year, the championship brings together golfers and fans from around the globe to witness the pursuit of the Claret Jug and the continuation of a tradition that celebrates the spirit of the game.
List of recent winners of The Open Championship from 2010 to 2022:
2022 – Cameron Smith (Australia)
2021 – Collin Morikawa (United States)
2020 – Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019 – Shane Lowry (Ireland)
2018 – Francesco Molinari (Italy)
2017 – Jordan Spieth (United States)
2016 – Henrik Stenson (Sweden)
2015 – Zach Johnson (United States)
2014 – Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)
2013 – Phil Mickelson (United States)
2012 – Ernie Els (South Africa)
2011 – Darren Clarke (Northern Ireland)
2010 – Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa)


In the 1880's Sussex fishermen were said to be of 'strong and resolute stock'. Mainly a mixed race, partly Spanish partly Norman French and partly Saxon in origin. The 'Willicks' or 'Willickers', as the Fishermen of Eastbourne were known of old, would fish the herring, sprat and mackerel when they came round in their seasons from the North.
In their sturdy sailing luggers known as 'Bourners', along with the fishing fleets of Hastings and Brighton, the Eastbourne fishermen would follow the mackerel down the English channel to Devon and Cornwall and, often as far as the waters off Southern Ireland, being away for months during the season. Other fishing expeditions would take the Eastbourne luggers to northern waters off of the east coast as far away as Scarborough.
This close-knit community possessed skills and knowledge in the ways of the sea acquired over many generations of hardship with a mixture of bravery and tragedy both at sea and ashore.


Indian Handloom Sarees You Will Fall In Love WithMy Art Basket
Pure Cotton Jamdani is a type of fine muslin textile with intricate patterns that has been produced for centuries in South Rupshi, Narayanganj district on the bank of the Shitalakhwa river, which was part of Bengal and eventually became Bangladesh after the Partition of Bengal. The Mughal emperors historically patronized its production, but British colonialism led to the decline of the Bengali jamdani and muslin industries due to policies that favored industrially manufactured textiles. Recently, there has been a revival of jamdani production in Bangladesh, where it is typically woven using a mixture of cotton and gold thread. In 2013, the traditional art of weaving jamdani was declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Muslin Jamdani is a precious fabric that was imported from Dhaka, Bangladesh (then in Bengal), nearly 200 years ago. Made via an elaborate, 16-step process with a rare cotton that only grew along the banks of the holy Meghna river, it was considered one of the great treasures of the age. It had a truly global patronage, stretching back thousands of years – deemed worthy of clothing statues of goddesses in ancient Greece, countless emperors from distant lands, and generations of local Mughal royalty. Dhaka muslin had a dedicated fanbase that included the French queen Marie Antoinette, the French empress Joséphine Bonaparte and Jane Austen. However, by the early 20th century, it had disappeared from every corner of the globe, with the only surviving examples stashed safely in valuable private collections and museums. The convoluted technique for making it was forgotten, and the only type of cotton that could be used, Gossypium arboreum var. neglecta – locally known as Phuti karpas – abruptly went extinct
Khadi is a hand-spun and woven natural fiber cloth that was promoted by Mahatma Gandhi as a symbol of self-sufficiency during the freedom struggle of the Indian subcontinent. The term is used throughout India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, and the first piece of the hand-woven cloth was manufactured in the Sabarmati Ashram during 1917-18. Khadi is made from cotton, but it may also include silk or wool, which are all spun into yarn on a charkha. It is a versatile fabric that remains cool in summer and warm in winter. To improve its appearance, khadi is sometimes starched to give it a stiffer feel. It is widely accepted in various fashion circles and is used to make popular dresses such as dhoti, kurta, and handloom saris.
Chanderi is a type of sari that originated between the 2nd and 7th centuries in the Chanderi region, which is situated on the boundary of two cultural regions of the state, Malwa and Bundelkhand. The Chanderi sari tradition began in the 13th century, and it is made using a combination of silk and cotton. The people of the Vindhyachal Ranges have a wide range of weaving traditions, and in the 11th century, the trade locations Malwa, Medwa, central India, and south Gujarat increased the region’s importance. Gajam Anjaiah, an Indian master handloom designer, is known for his innovation and development of tie-dye handloom products along with the Telia Rumal technique of weaving products based on the Ikat process.


Birds eye view of North and South Carolina and part of Georgia
Product Code: smsc58
Availability: In Stock
Bachmann, John. CREATED/PUBLISHED [New York, John Bachmann, c1861] NOTES Scale not given. At top of map: Panorama of the seat of war. View of the coast from Currituck Sound, North Carolina, to Savannah, Georgia, indicating towns, roads, railroads, and rivers. The shelling of Fort Hatteras is shown. Includes a table of distances from Cape Hatteras.


Wallamba Family History Society Inc
Taree NSW Australia
Manning Wallamba Family History Society Inc. is interested in family history research in an area bounded by Kendall, Rawdon Vale, Booral, Bulahdelah and Forster on the Mid North Coast of NSW, Australia.
Included are the following areas: Manning Valley, Wingham, Taree, Kendall, Coopernook, Old Bar, Forster, Harrington, Manning Point, Nabiac, Bulahdelah, Kew, Krambach, Oxley Island, Mitchells Island, Tinonee, Moorland, Lansdowne, Killibakh, Failford, Rawdon Vale, Tuncurry, Coolongolook, Bungwahl, Smiths Lake, Wallis Lake.
The MANNING WALLAMBA FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Inc. has been operating since 1985. After holding meetings in several venues the Society "found a permanent home at our Library, and that has been the rent free, expense free home ever since." (quoted from a founding and Life Member)
The Society acknowledges the ongoing assistance and support of the Manning Valley Libraries.
The Fig Tree is the Society's Newsletter published in
January, April, July and October.
[Society's Newsletters are here]
About the Society
|Location:||Manning Valley Libraries Victoria St. Taree|
|Operating Hours:||Mon-Fri. 10am to 12 noon Sat. 10am to 1-30pm|
|Meetings:||3rd. Saturday 1.30pm at the Library No meeting in December or January|
|Workshops:||4th. Saturday 1.30pm at the Library No workshop in December or January|
Membership fee schedule
|1 July - 30 June||
1 July - 30 June
1 Jan - 30 June
Initial Research Enquiry $20.00 Including limited photocopying, to the value of $5.00
Extra microfilm copying 70c per page. Additional Research $10.00 p/hr
Download a research request form here
Payment for initial research and a business sized SSAE must accompany all enquiries.
(please do not send cash payments through the mail).
This is a new project for the Society where it is hoped we will raise considerable funds with a minimum of work. Helpers required approx. 1 day per 2 months.
Burial Records and Unmarked Graves
Manning Wallamba Family History Society Inc. Taree is currently working on a project to record graves on private property and unmarked graves in all local cemeteries
The upgrading and recording of cemeteries has shown the Society just how many unmarked and unknown graves and burial sites there must be in the area. A large percentage of names found in the NSW Death Register Indexes for the area do not appear in records held by the Councils, the cemetery indexes or other records available. To ensure that the Manning Wallamba Family History Society Inc. Burial Records are a comprehensive list of all buried in this area we are asking anyone who knows of unmarked graves, graves on private property, placement of ashes or burial sites to provide any details they can by completing the forms available in the Family History section of the Greater Taree City Library or from this site: Download Forms to Register a Burial/Cremation here (pdf format 10k)
Research Data Base: This is another new project which we have undertaken which incorporates compiling a data base of all pioneer names of the area. All the help we are able to get is appreciated.
Publications for Sale:
Price List for Burial Books available through our
Society (pdf format 9k)
Prices include postage & handling within Australia
MWFHS members receive 10% discount on all orders
Please address all correspondence
Manning Wallamba FHS Inc.
PO Box 48,
Taree. NSW Australia. 2430.