Merry Xmas 2012

I have not received a Xmas card this year from the Liberal Democrats which is a shame as they normally show a seasonal winter scene in Sheffield. It may have something to do with a Liberal Democrat canvasser who I spoke to earlier this year!. The Liberal Democrat party can't seem to get their collective heads around the fact that millions of people regard their continuing support of the Tory Party as an affront to democracy, justice and fairness. 

One look at the result of the recent Rotherham by-election reveals the parlous state of the party

• Sarah Champion (Labour) 9,866 (46.25%, +1.62%)
• Jane Collins (UKIP) 4,648 (21.79%, +15.87%)
• Marlene Guest (BNP) 1,804 (8.46%, -1.96%)
• Yvonne Ridley (Respect) 1,778 (8.34%)
• Simon Wilson (Conservative) 1,157 (5.42%, -11.32%)
• David Wildgoose (English Democrat) 703 (3.30%)
• Simon Copley (Independent) 582 (2.73%, -3.58%)
• Michael Beckett (Liberal Democrat) 451 (2.11%, -13.87%)
• Ralph Dyson (TUSC) 261 (1.22%)
• Paul Dickson (Independent) 51 (0.24%)
• Clint Bristow (Independent) 29 (0.14%)
• Labour majority 5,218 (24.46%)
• 7.13% swing Labour to UKIP
• Turnout: 21,330 (33.63%, -25.37%)

It was the lowest vote ever recorded by a major party in a by-election. It surely shows that the British people have totally turned against "Cleggism" and its diminishing band of adherents.

And so here is an old Xmas card from the 1930's that seems particular applicable at the momnet to the Liberal Democrats and their policies

Merry Xmas  - I don't think so!

  

MEMORIAL TO COASTAL MINE CLEARANCE OFFICERS AND MEN. MUNDESLEY ON SEA, NORFOLK

I've got quite a backlog of material to sort through but came across the following photograph that was taken in July this year. At first it looks like an increasingly desperate attempt by our children to  aquire their inheritance.  But it is in fact a realtively new war memorial that was only commissioned in 2004

 This is from an "Rootsweb" article

"MEMORIAL TO COASTAL MINE CLEARANCE OFFICERS AND MEN. MUNDESLEY ON SEA, NORFOLK.

A new Memorial is to be dedicated on the cliff top at Mundesley-on-Sea, Norfolk on Sunday 2nd May 2004 at 12.00 am. This is to honour all the men who lost their lives towards the end of the second world war and for a number of years afterwards whilst employed on mine clearance on the beaches of Norfolk. Mines had been laid at the early part of the war when there were fears of an invasion. Maps were made of the sites, but during the course of the war, some were lost. Obviously it was not safe to venture onto the beaches while the threat of u.x.b's was still there. So the brave men of the Royal Engineers came to the rescue. At least 26 of these men lost their lives on Norfolk soil.

See
http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Norfolk/NorfolkCoastalMineClearance.html
where we have attempted to identify all the men using CWGC. A number of relatives of the men will be attending the dedication. Do you know of anyone who was involved with this work or relatives of the men? They obviously weren't all Norfolk men - Wales, Scotland, Ireland and many counties of England are mentioned in the Roll Call.

If you should happen to know anyone, please send the information direct to BCashford@aol.com

For a further insight and "discussion" into this memorial see Flickr.

 

The Death of Mr Aldi

I came across the following cutting (29th July 2010) the other day that made me wonder about the human condition. Greater riches than Croesus, and a miserable life!.

Theo Albrecht