Showing posts with label onthis day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label onthis day. Show all posts

Wednesday, 8 December 2010

Isn't central heating great.

Hi there,

I got thinking this morning as I wearily raised myself from my bed in my nice warm bedroom about when I was a boy.

In my parents house, well bungalow actually, we only had a coal fire in the living
room so the other rooms got very cold. In fact in the morning we had to scrape the frost and ice off the INSIDE of the windows of the bedrooms.

We did in fact have fireplaces in the bedrooms but just after the war we could not afford to keep a fire in all of them. In fact when I was ill one time my father got a shovel and put the living room fire into a bucket and moved it to my bedroom in the evening.

So we are really blessed to have the benefits of central heating in most properties today.

Thought for today:- Do you appreciate the modern appliances we now have?

Joke for today:- Little boy to grandfather: Are you still growing grandpa? No I don't think so. Why? Boy: It's just that the top of your head is coming through your hair

On this day:- December 8th

In 1980 John Lennon was shot dead.

In 1941 Britain Australia and USA declare war on Japan

In 1542 Mary queen of Scots was born and in 1925 Sammy Davis jnr made his first appearance

John F. Beaumont

Tuesday, 24 August 2010

Found the Family Mansion

Yep true

Sue and I found The Wilderness. What's The Wilderness?

It is the mansion which my great grandfather 5 times removed lived in and I believe built back in the 1720's. If he didn't have it built at least he extended it. I'm seeking more information on this.

From searching family history we found that this gentleman Sir John Pratt was Lord Chief Justice of England from 1718 until 1725 and interim Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1721.

He bought The Wilderness in Seal Kent.

It is a magnificant building now owned by a blind school and we were shown part of it by the director of education who happened to be there.

It has one of the best Georgian staircases in the country.

Afterwards we went to see the local church where there are plaques on the wall in memory of family members as well as stained glass windows provided by them.

Nearby was the family vault.

It was very interesting realising that my forefathers walked in the same spot as me all those years ago.

Thought for today: Do you appreciate what your ancestors did for you?

Joke for today:- What do you get if you cross an owl with a skunk?
Something that smells but doesn't give a hoot!

On this day:- In 79AD Mount Vesuvius erupted and destroyed Pompeii
In 1724 George Stubbs the great horse painter was born

Monday, 23 August 2010

A great weekend

Hi there

Went sailing last weekend. This was a birthday treat from Sue. (my birthday was in March but I had only just got round to sorting out a date! )

This was the first time I have gone sailing in about 30 years and I really enjoyed it.

We went to Brighton and went out on a 27ft day sailboat. Was it rough! There had been a storm overnight so the sea was very choppy. (Thats putting it mildly!)

Besides the skipper we had 5 crew initially but the waves were so bad that 3 felt ill including Sue so we returned to the marina and just the skipper, a young woman and I continued.

It was great.

Think I will take up sailing again.

I didn't do any work on my internet business so will get stuck in again this week.

I wrote another article today and I am getting an average of two a week published on the internet.

Thought for today. Are you glad you are alive?

Joke for today:- Did you hear about divorce Barbie? It comes with all Ken's stuff!

On this day:- 23rd August.
In 1926 Rudolph Valentino died.
In 1912 Gene Kelly was born
In 1940 German bombers began night raids on London

John Beaumont

Saturday, 7 August 2010

Exciting or what? Well it is for me!

Hi there

Found out something exciting this week. Well exciting for me although probably boring for you!

Actually it was Sue who found out this information as she is the one who is more involved in family history than me.

What she found out was that my great great gggggrandfather was a famous British judge and politician back in the early 18th century.

His name was Sir John Pratt (note the "Sir") A member of the aristocracy no less!

He was a Member of Parliament then went on to be Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1721 and was also Lord Chief Justice of England from 1718 to 1725.

One of his sons (the younger brother of my direct ancestor) was created Earl Camden in 1786 and was a personal friend of William Pitt the famous Prime Minister.

He was heavily involved in the discussions regarding taxing the colonies and in fact I believe he was against it. If he had got his way the American War of Independence may not have occurred.

Anyrate its strange how finding out such information affected me. For some reason it has given me much more confidence to build my internet business. Strange really.

Obviously the family went downhill from then onwards!!

Thought for today. Do you appreciate what your ancestors have done for you?

Joke for today:- When flying try to keep the number of landings equal to the number of take-offs.

On this day:- August 7th
In 1957 Oliver Hardy died.
In 1926 the first British Gran Prix motor race was held. The average speed of the winning car was 71.61 mph (115.24 kph)

Cheers

John Beaumont

He also formed Camden Town a well known area of London.