A pleasant surprise

The Margravina and I took an afternoon perambulation. Direct from the house, owing to the wines imbibed over a very nice lunch with my eldest sister and brother-in-law. Walking up Coombe Lane West, in the Coombe area of Kingston, we noticed the gate to Coombe Conduit was open. I mentioned this English Heritage property a couple of years ago on a walking blogpost. It is rarely open. So we popped in for the first time in two decades.

Here are a few snaps. Apologies for the misalignment of the first one. I only noticed when it was too late to do anything about. It should give you an idea though.

One of the cisterns. The water level was very high, as can be seen from the light's reflection. Very cold water too - the stick on the top left was withdrawn from the well and preferred to us to feel how cold.

The site was staffed by members of the Kingston Society (a local conservation pressure group - I came away with good intentions of looking into this further). One of them explained that the ruined building was damaged indirectly by a bomb in the War. A tree was blown down by the explosion and it fell on the building, and wrecked it.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/coombe-conduit/

Recent presentation regarding Coombe Conduit

Duffy ticket giveaway

Free to a good home!

Yes, owing to an avoidable, self-inflicted clash*, I can no longer attend the Duffy Festschrift @ 19:00 on 5 July at the Cavalry and Guards Club, Piccadilly, That London.

If you’d like my ticket leave a comment with your e-mail address, which I won’t publish.

* you can imagine the mental kicking that I am administering to myself.

What a fortnight!

Yep. More football again. More self-indulgence. Today was the play off final for the National League (the fifth tier of English football). Grimsby Town versus Solihull Moors.

For the third time in this extraordinary fortnight Grimsby went behind before winning the game in extra time. This time the winning goal wasn’t left as late as the 119th minute. For a large part of the game Solihull were the better team. Very neat, progressive football. Just lacking the quality finisher required of the top teams.

This Grimsby team just do not know when they are beaten. The fans do not know when they’re beaten either. They, no we, continued to cheer in the team when they went behind.* I like to think that was part of the difference come the end. I’m hoarse. It was great to spend the day with family and friends, old and new. It means so much more.

* for more on the never say die attitude read about the crowd funder to help hard-up families get to the game.

It’s quite rare for teams relegated to this division to bounce straight back, and many of us never thought it was likely before the last 3 games. Possible but not probable.

Well done to all at the club who contributed to the remarkable turnaround of the last year. The players, coaches, management, analyst, Matchday staff, grounds staff, board, supporters trust, sponsors, local media, and fans. There’s a moral in this story, but I’d just like to say, …king get in!!

Helion sale

Worth a look at the current sale. Mainly ‘esoteric’ books from my perspective, but it does include this one which I liked.