Primaries

Winnie with Oscar on the winter plot

Daffodils and crocuses. There's still no snow, hardly even frost; instead warm gales from the Atlantic blowing things over, and more and more rain...

Another green house shattered by wind on the Victoria Jubilee

...until today. Yesterday I continued splitting logs with a spalthammer, using a chain saw to reduce the  size of larger pieces of wood, knots holding the wood together, resisting, while others give way with a satisfying thud, each piece thrown sideways; picked up and split again. The stack grows.

It seems wrong rather than a promise of spring that there's already blossom on the cherry in our front garden...

...It seems to be hurrying me. reminding me of having done too little work on my allotment...

The greenhouse bought in December still sits at the head of the plot

...on my other projects - Out of Town 'Restored to Life'....for which I have cash to spare, for work with Francis and Frazer, after an out of court payment from Kaleidoscope TV, who, last year, so signally failed to fulfil their side of the contract I made with them in early 2015. Extract from my 'letter before action':

My claim is based on a failure by Kaleidoscope TV Ltd to repay me in kind for goods and services they have received from me – this includes the loan of films to broadcast, the broadcasting of my films more than once, contrary to contract, and numerous failures to broadcast, contrary to contract, commercials for published episodes of my films. I own rights in broadcast quality episodes of TV films by my late stepfather, Jack Hargreaves’ – ‘Out of Town’ (OOT) programmes. In February 2015 I loaned DVDs and Digibeta cassettes of these programmes to the local TV company, Kaleidoscope (a.k.a Big Centre TV) to broadcast. At the same time, and in return for allowing the broadcast of these programmes, Kaleidoscope TV Ltd agreed that they would undertake the restoration, to broadcast quality, of at least 30 episodes of OOT in the form of 16mm film and sound-tape – ‘Jack Hargreaves OOT Archive’ – that are stored at my home, as well as airing commercials advertising published DVDs of ‘Out of Town’. The broadcast quality OOT material that I had loaned to Kaleidoscope were broadcast during 2015, but over the last year Kaleidoscope TV have done no work on the film and tape they had agreed to process. The defendant has had DVDs and Digibeta tapes from me to broadcast twice a week on Big Centre TV over 6 months for free, but have not fulfilled their agreement to process my raw material in return...

'Restored to Life' - Francis Niemczyk's home in Hornsey 

'Restored to life' ~ Frazer Ash with my stepfather's work on a Steenbeck at the British Universities Film & Video Council 

...and Handsworth Handsworth Helping Hands '4 Avenues Project', learning more almost by the day on a tiny part of Handsworth...

Oscar and Oliver in the HHH van on another visit to Putney Avenue

...and Black Patch Park where the fly-tipping grows; where we need a bold idea to recreate a place in what's become a border space, urban limbo.

Oliver, Oscar, Phil Crumtpon and Avtar Dhillon on Kitchener Street next to Black Patch Park last Friday morning

This park we've been concerned about for over 14 years - can it be so long? - is a community of interest, those interested in it (Charlie Chaplin, Gypsies, Soho Foundry, football) dispersed. It needs for its future to be also a community of place: for that it needs - close to it - people whose windows and doors open onto the Black Patch. Sandwell MBC's structure plan for the area has the area zoned to prefer light industry. What would it take it to  have the area re-zoned for housing?
The other project, shared with Linda, Richard and Angeliki is the idea of a website for the work of Aristeidis Metallinos, the laic sculptor of Ano Korakiana. We've done as much as can be done on this until we have the agreement of the sculptor's daughter, Maria, to continue...

Woman in new and traditional wear ~ work in stone by Aristeidis Metallinos 1985 (photo: Richard Baddeley)

These last 9 days Arthur, my father-in-law, has been staying with us, going every day with Linda to Stafford Hospital - 26 miles north - to visit Dorothy, my mother-in-law, who fell in her home, broke her wrist, and now struggles to move about. We await a place in a rehabilitation unit close to Handsworth. It's difficult for Lin, so occupied now with the care of her parents. I'm almost peripheral.
I fear the news at times. Not from newspapers. I stopped reading them except as comics years ago, but from the news I select from broad choices on the internet from Australia to the US, Canada to Greece, S.America, China and the rest of Europe - sifting the over opinionated, seeking wise writing. Right now I'm thinking about the New Hampshire Primaries. I wrote to my friend, Tony, in New England. With Helen he visited us in Greece five years ago. I'd not seen him since I was a young man in Philadelphia, working briefly in the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1966..

Dear Tony and Helen. I imagine your woods lovely, dark and deep amid the snow we seldom see here. I think of you both regularly and wonder how you are. And how the world looks from New England.  We don’t go back to Corfu until the second week of April. Greece seems too far away, but I am now and then assailed, almost assaulted, by news from the rest of the world. One friend’s Christmas greeting included the impression that we live in times that imitate the start of the first world war.
We are enjoying writing on the tabula rasa’s of two grandchildren - Oliver (coming up 4) and Hannah (2). They’ve already been three times to stay with us in Corfu, Here in Birmingham I’m entrusted with explaining to Ollie the world of growing vegetables,...

..walking beside canals, riding on trams and trains and ascending top front of double-decker buses drawing pictures in the condensation on the big windows, ...

...visiting art galleries where, for a child, everything from a floor pattern, banister or a reception counter is as true a work of art as paintings in frames and sculptures on pedestals... 

Oliver beside an unknown Tiki in Birmingham Art Museum

...not to mention the  ‘installations’ you aren’t supposed to touch. All part of of 'every common sight…apparell'd in celestial light…the glory and the freshness of a dream. Meantime we’re also busy with care of Lin’s parents - 91 and 97.

Arthur in the kitchen

They looked after us once. Lin sends her love. We both hope you and your family are well. X

T replied with a happy group photo of his descendants amid American snow...

Dear Simon, Here is a photo  of our family minus O who's currently working for the International Medical Corp (IMC is like Médecins Sans Frontières) H and I are nervous about that but she loves it... we are going over to visit her in late May (not in ... but in Jordan!) As you can see, we are blessed amid all the misfortunes of others.  Snow?  Alas until (literally) as I began to reply to your email we had NONE.  Now it is snowing—we have about 4” on the ground.  We only expect about another 3” but still it is lovely that our climate still knows how to make snow.  We thought it had forgotten how!!!  Now the woods are dark and silent. Lovely. The world from New England?  We are biting our nails to see what the New Hampshire Primary election will bring tomorrow.  Trump is a buffoon and bully but I think he may have over-reached.  I think he would be easier to defeat in November than Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio.  It would be awful if we got any of them as President! Cruz with his fanatical religiosity really scares me. As Europe learned in the 30 years’ war, church and state don’t mix. ....

The hanging, one of 18 prints by Jacque Callot' - The Miseries and Misfortunes of War 1633

However, no one is very enthusiastic about Hillary so she might just be defeatable by a Cruz or Rubio.  Analytical arguments by HC just won’t appeal to peoples’ heart strings.  Myself, I am a Bernie Sanders supporter but think it will be very hard for him to beat Hillary in the primaries with all her “experience”.  Bernie has a very agile mind. I used to see him in Vermont when I lived there.  That agility will make up for his alleged lack of experience.
WWI:  Your friend’s thought about the prelude to WWI has passed my mind too.

There are just so many accidental mistakes or misunderstandings that could easily happen and trip off a worldwide conflagration.  Ironic isn’t it in the context of your friend’s thought that the current instability in the Middle East is an outgrowth of the fall of the Ottoman empire in WWI followed by the imposition of the Sykes-Picot agreement by the British and French carving up the region between themselves.

Greece?  I was going to email you and ask how Corfu is doing.  I gather it is  relatively unscathed but the migrant flood but poor Greece.  There it is with an enormous economic recession resulting from Germany’s hard money policies and the rest of the EU doesn’t seem to be lifting a finger to help Greece cope with the flood of refugees on to Lesbos.  The EU could at least write off Greece’s debt. Of course the US is pathetic having only taken in 2,800 refugees in the last year.
Congratulations on your two grandchildren and the clear sense of renewed wonder they are conveying to you and Lin.  Our’s, as you can see, are a bit older but as wondrous and real companions now they are adults. We jaded old folks need to open our minds as you both are evidently doing. I am embarked (barely) on a short book in the form of a letter to my grandchildren about what an incredible experience it has been to be alive at our particular time in history.  Think of it: from cosmology....

2012 Hubble XDF image showing galaxies from 13.2 billion years ago

....to genetic engineering, to plate tectonics , the internet, etc, etc.  It is truly unlike any other time in human history save (maybe) during development of agriculture  beginning 12,000 years ago. The expansion of human consciousness in our lives is unprecedented.  And most of it is due the recognition since the 1700s that human knowledge is intrinsically fallible.  But of course, even with all the opportunities it is a very dangerous time. (see above and WWI) because so many people are frightened of the enormous changes and frightened of the human responsibility for knowledge and its application. So they are recoiling and striking back like the jihadists or the Christian right in the US.
It is so hard seeing one’s parents reach the end.  I hope Lin’s parents are having some fun and laughs out of these remaining moments. It is also hard on Lin and you as I discovered when my mother reached this stage. It can be quite startling. Suddenly you can no longer ask them (your parents) for verification of “what happened when—“  No you can’t—do what has been your resource for your entire life. Now you are the latitude and longitude by which your children and grandchildren position themselves. They come to you.  Best wishes, Lin, for many poignant moments to share with your parents.
I must go now to watch BBC America.  It was wonderful to get your email and glad to hear you both are doing well as are we. Helen is still working part-time at the hospital primarily encouraging mothers with breastfeeding help. I just turned 76!  Life’s a bit more uncertain now - to recollect Andrew Marvell’s thought “Had we but time enough, this coyness madam would be no crime.  But at my back I seem to hear time’s winged chariot hurrying near.” Otherwise AOK with time enough to enjoy this marvelous landscape and house.  Rather like the Temple at Bassae.

Much love and best wishes for this year to you both. T & H

The Temple of Bassae in Oichalia, Messenia, by Edward Lear 1854

*** *** ***
The earth is so damp I'm reluctant to plant anything, for all the advice on radio and internet about what should be in the earth during January and February. Where I plan to site the greenhouse on my allotment is the bed in which for two years I've grown Jerusalem Artichokes. I've started digging them up.

I delight in the journey of these mucky clay-sticky Jerusalem artichoke tubers forked from the sodden soil of my allotment, washed in a chilly waterbutt, taken home, peeled, chopped, parboiled, drained and sautéed in butter with a dash of minced garlic, bay leaves, white wine vinegar.

Festival in Ano Korakiana

Το πανηγύρι...

"Όσοι βρεθήκαμε το απόγευμα της Πέμπτης (24-7) στην Αγία Παρασκευή, πρέπει να αισθανθήκαμε λίγο καλύτεροι. Λίγο πιο ανεβασμένοι.Από τη μια μεριά οι ενεργές δυνάμεις του χωριού με επικεφαλής το ΔΣ της Φιλαρμονικής μας και ο παπα-Κώστας με τους Επιτρόπους της Εκκλησίας να δουλεύουν για να είναι το πανηγύρι της Παρασκευής 25-7 όσο το δυνατό καλύτερο. Από την άλλη, Κορακιανίτες αλλά και πολιτογραφημένοι Κορακιανίτες (λόγω γάμων) να επισκέπτονται και να περιποιούνται τα μνήματα των αγαπημένων τους, που δεν είναι πλέον μαζί μας. Η ζωή σε μια ολοκληρωμένη στιγμή της. Οι ζωντανοί με τους κοιμηθέντες, αλλ’ όχι μηδενισμένους, όπως βεβαιώνει η Εκκλησία μας. «Ουκ έστι θάνατος τοις δούλοις σου Κύριε, εκδημούντων ημών από του σώματος και προς σε τον Θεόν ενδημούντων, αλλά μετάστασις από των λυπηροτέρων επί τα χρηστότερα και θυμηθέστερα και ανάπαυσις και χαρά».Έχουμε το προνόμιο να ζούμε σε ένα από τα ομορφότερα χωριά της Κέρκυρας. Και έχουμε ακόμη ένα προνόμιο μικρότερο μεν, αλλά εξίσου σημαντικό: να συναντιόμαστε μια φορά το χρόνο, στο πανηγύρι της Αγίας Παρασκευής, μόνιμοι κάτοικοι του χωριού, ξενιτεμένοι και όσοι πέρασαν στην απέναντι όχθη και αναπαύονται στο κοιμητήριο της Αγίας. Και να γιορτάζουμε. Όλοι μαζί. "We are privileged to live in one of the prettiest villages in Corfu . And we still have a duty smaller but equally important: to meet once a year, during the festival of Agia Paraskevi, permanent residents, expatriates and those who have passed to the other side and rest in the cemetery of of the Saints.. And to celebrate. All together. Να θυμόμαστε και να γιορτάζουμε.Μην αφήσουμε να παρακμάσει αυτό το γεγονός, που πιθανόν να είναι μοναδικό στο Νησί μας. Πέρα όμως από τη φροντίδα να συνεχίσουμε αυτή τη σύναξη, δεν πρέπει να μας ξεφεύγει και το ασθενές σημείο της Κορακιανίτικής Κοινωνίας. Τις προβληματικές πολλές φορές σχέσεις μας. Τις τριβές και τις ρήξεις που δημιουργούνται ανάμεσά μας. Στους απλούς κατοίκους, αλλά πολλές φορές και ανάμεσα στους φορείς του χωριού.Στο χωριό έχουμε πετύχει πολλά και η Κορακιάνα κατέχει υψηλή θέση στην Κοινή Γνώμη της Κέρκυρας. Αν δεν είχαμε και το πρόβλημα σχέσεων, θα μπορούσαμε να πετυχαίναμε πολλά περισσότερα.Δεν είμαστε υποχρεωμένοι να αρέσουμε σε όλους. Ούτε είναι απαραίτητο να μας αποδέχονται όλοι. Όμως, χάριν του κοινού καλού και της προόδου της Κορακιάνας (που εμείς θα εισπράξουμε εν τέλει) έχουμε χρέος να κάνουμε πάντα ένα minimum υπέρβασης. Θα είναι μια ανάπαυση και χαρά για όλους μας. Ντόπιους, επισκέπτες, εξ αγχιστείας συγχωριανούς που βρίσκονται συχνά στο χωριό. Θα γίνονται οι μέρες της διαμονής μας στην Κορακιάνα (μόνιμη ή για διακοπές) ανεπανάληπτης ευχαρίστησης και ανεφοδιασμού των ψυχικών μας αντιστάσεων. Ιδίως σε μέρες θλίψεως, όπως αυτές που ζούμε.Όλα αυτά αφορούν περισσότερο τους απαισιόδοξους που νοιώθουν (και δίκαια) απομονωμένοι και αποξενωμένοι.Τέρμα στη θλίψη. Βρισκόμαστε σε φάση αλλαγής σελίδας (πιστεύω) στην ζωή του χωριού, μετά τις πρόσφατες αυτοδιοικητικές εκλογές.Οι νέοι «άρχοντες» θέλουν. Έχουν όμως ανάγκη την βοήθεια ΟΛΩΝ μας. Μη την αρνηθούμε."   ΣΠΥΡΟΣ Π. ΣΑΒΒΑΝΗΣ Υ.Γ. (του korakiana.gr). Πετυχημένο ήταν και το φετινό πανηγύρι που διοργάνωσε η Φιλαρμονική στο χώρο της Αγίας Παρασκευής. Πολύς ο κόσμος, ωραία η νυχτερινή ατμόσφαιρα, νόστιμα τα ψητά εδέσματα. Μιας πρώτης τάξεως ευκαιρία συνάντησης αλλήλων….Μοναδική παράλειψη, μια καμμένη λάμπα στο μονοπάτι, που οδήγησε τον Πρόεδρο του Συνεταιρισμού…στο σφάλο (έπεσε στη σφαλιά) !!

*** *** *** ***
"Everyone knows Brassicas bolt in Handsworth"
"I didn't"
"More fool you"
Typical. I was sharing with Linda my apprehensions on my latest planting, after reading in a book about vegetable gardening where someone's talking about compressing the soil to ensure their just-planted cabbages won't bolt. This! After the care I've taken preparing a bed like eiderdown - triple dug, carefully couch-weeded, mingled with topsoil and well damped compost  - for Brussels sprouts, cabbages, broccoli and cauliflower. At first I was delighted to see the seedling plugs growing. Then in the last week I begin to worry if they're bunching or bolting. Another lesson, after already losing an earlier crop to bolting.
"If you've got rabbits they'll like the leaves" said one fellow gardener.

At least the hooped netting has kept the pigeons at bay. So. Next time I plant brassicas they'll go in harder ground. perhaps the same since it's been so well dug, but walked over. My rhubarb's coming along. My marrow is pregnant; at least four fruits growing lustily.

So how do I protect them to maturity from the invasion of slugs and other ground creeping denizens? The runner beans are quickly twisting their chaotic way up the bamboos I've raised.

My six rows of potatoes are coming along well. Four rows of Jerusalem artichokes are above my head.
*** *** ***
At home Lin and I have been trimming back shrubbery, loading green sacks ready for this week's green waste collection for which we're one of the 10% who've paid what's being widely called a 'garden tax'. Still in his pyjamas the other morning Oliver helped load sacks with tendrils from our ever spreading Wisteria.

Yesterday Paul, one of HHH's more recent volunteers, and I cleared the back garden Lin and I'd inspected yesterday. Using sacks in bins, bins alone and builder's bags plus wheelbarrow we worked our way through the place in four hours, carting rubble, dead wood, a settee and sofa, assorted metal, a bedstead, green waste and over 200 old carpet tiles - some of which I'll keep for the allotment - up a narrow alley between houses to the van parked in Stamford Road.

We've also used Google satellite to locate the premises from which the flytipping into this garden has been coming. We'll explore that later and Linda will phone the housing agency who are landlords of the adjacent mess of a garden to see if she can persuade then to tidy it. Much of the rubbish web cleared has leaked or been chucked from the gardens on either side of it. Paul and I took a ton and half of rubbish to Holford Drive where, on our way to the dry bay, we were entertained by Bob Bennett who's occasionally to be met playing his trumpet ...

"Do you have a CD?"
"Yes. And I add backing tracks. If you want one I'll leave it at the office next time you're here"
"How do I pay you?"
"No! no. Music's free"
I dropped Paul at his house and drove home for a shower and a change before we all went out for a roast beef and Yorkshire pudding at the Parson & Clerk in Streetly. Guy and Amy, and Oliver, and the new babe are staying with us. Elizabeth and Matt and Sophia came too - an evening out courtesy of my son-in-law.
"A pint of best, please Guy"
"Pedigree?"
That cool pint on this warm evening. So well deserved. Hannah Rowan slept through our meal in a hand cot at the end of our table.

Oliver and his new sister, Hannah

Sister and brother

*** *** ***
An email from Francis Niemczyk to Dean Hoffman, copied to me:

Dear Simon / Dean. Thank you for the messages from you both a couple of days' ago: please accept my apologies for the delay in replying to you, but have just finished a stint of night shifts and have only just had the chance to catch you on my e-mails.
Am very happy to collaborate in the way you outline Dean. However, I do not currently have a pc capable of sending the data files for the sound and video transfers. However, perhaps Simon has the facilities to downland from the digibeta tape (i.e. Digital Betacam) transfers that I am currently in the process of making - and sending to Simon - of the 16mm film material and audio recordings of the commentary by Jack (could supply other formats than digibeta tape for Simon to send to Dean - e.g., DV / DVCAM tape or DVD transfers if that's easier for Simon to send). In any case, it's not a bad idea to have 'archive' tape copies of the raw sound and picture material anyway as a 'safety copy' of the original material, digibeta probably being the best format for this, being of full broadcast quality. One other point to mention is that the transfers I am making are of the British PAL 625-line / 50 Hz video standard, as opposed to the American NTSC 525-line / 60 Hz (or 59.94 Hz, to be pedantic) video standard. Possibly this may not be an issue for you Dean as you would be effectively working with data files? Best wishes, Francis 

Dear Francis and Dean. Can you arrive at an optimal way to proceed? I rather imagined myself collecting a pair of DVDs from you Francis, representing the digitised film and sound tape from one episode, and then being able to send that pair by land-mail to Dean in US or others in the UK.  Is it more complicated? Of course (:)) Best wishes, Simon

I can certainly make DVDs (or extra DVDs) of the film and sound transfers for you to post to Dean if the two of you are happy with that arrangement Simon: from my point-of view, it would actually be the easiest arrangement.
As I say, the DVDs would be of the British PAL video system: it is possible to convert PAL to the American NTSC video standard (or vice versa) but there will be some loss of quality in the conversion process. Best wishes, Francis 

I would certainly like to keep the process as straightforward as possible. DVD transfers passed through the post would work. If I had to make a wish it would be that if the dvd-transfer process in place could be make mpeg2 files instead of vob files, it would simplify things on this end. Here’s an explanation of that. Vob’s would be okay of that’s what’s practicable. The sound file format isn’t that important if it isn’t too lossy. Dean 

**** **** ****
Latest plan for Rock Cottage after our friends visited Lydbrook with us:

Hi Simon. One critical factor at the cottage is going to be the skip. I can organise a skip locally, but prior to Saturday 02Aug14:-
1) We are going to need to get permission from the owners of the grassed area shown on the attached proposal.
2) We will need the skip to be co-ordinated with meeting Adam on Saturday morning at 9:00am.
3) The crockery etc in the kitchen that Lin may wish to keep needs to be boxed up so that it can be put away upstairs.
4) If you're going down to the cottage to do this, get the name (and number) of the skip hire company that is there at the moment (for the shop) - it's always written on the side of the skip.
5) Furniture being retained will have to be identified. The mattresses will have to be thrown away. Any items of furniture not required needs to be identified or put outside.
On the first Saturday morning, the first floor will be swept and vacuumed, the step to the main bedroom repaired, the windows weather-sealed and the furniture being retained will be put upstairs.
Everything else will be stripped out and discarded.
Are you & Lin able to do items 1-5 by then ?
Martin X

Dear Martin and family! You work fast. I so like that.  Here in Handsworth lots of people accord to the stereotype of olde country ways despite being in the middle of a buzzing city.
A skip we ordered today for clear up in Handsworth....Deep vexation with the delay and bribe-seeking drivers (“Can’t get in there, mate, more than my job's... etc”).  I decided to dispense with this company's services, but not until the man had unloaded his skip, then I asked for a discount on his whole day charge given his four hour delivery delay on a skip promised at 10.30am, meant we had the skip for less than 2 hours. He said ‘Take or leave it” I said “Leave it” and enjoyed watching him have to back the skip truck into an awkward space and take ti away empty. No work from us ever again.
Phil at the stores in Lydbrook owns that piece of land. I’ve just phoned him. He happily permits us to have a skip delivered to that spot on that date. He suggests phoning the day before in case there’s been an avalanche or flooding.  (Phil, Central Stores, GL17 9SA phone: 01594 860 302) I will do that.
The existing skip is one Phil has hired from Bell Waste 01594 542103. I phoned them. They only deliver/collect weekdays. No problem. We will order end of next week once Adam is quite sure 2/8/14 is a confirmed ‘go’. We will pay them over the phone. They say "don’t worry as we have loads of skips"
Lin and I say “Yes”  to 1-5. We will go down in the week before 2 August  to do the things required as well as being there on 2 August; possibly not on the dot at 9.00am but I will make sure the cottage door is open (prob leave it open after we’ve been there earlier).
Love Lin Simon 

That late skip

Far to go

Hannah Rowan Hollier born at 00.14 the morning of Thursday 24th February (photo: Richard Baddeley)

After the excitement on Thursday I went to London for the afternoon - Birmingham Snow Hill to Marylebone ... dawdling for my 10.14 train to London, I decided to photo myself alongside the statue between the platforms. A professor of dentistry with a classy camera asked to take a picture of me taking a selfie. He emailed it to me and but edited it with eyes askance in B & W on his Flickr stream.

With John McKenna's Commuter at Snow Hill Station (photo: Damien Walmsley).

From Marylebone I cycled north towards Hornsey to see Francis Niemczyk. I wanted a touch-look-talk at his place - to view the kit he's using to synchronise the ageing 16mm film and 1/4" reel-to-reel tape from my stepfather's archive of Out of Town programmes. Round Regents Park it was still sunny but humid. The forecast rain clouds were gathering. Kentish Town Road, Fortress Road, Junction Road to Archway, and urban heat brought the overcast to breaking point. There was lightning and thunder and on Hornsey Rise - a downpour; rivulets riding down the gutters; vehicles fecklessly throwing up sheets of drenching spray I dodged by walking the pavements until I could shelter below a petrol station canopy; dispense myself a milky coffee and choc cookie, before free-wheeling down Crouch End Hill, through the Broadway and along Park Road to Francis' side street. He's on night shift these days, sleeping from about 8.00am to 4.00pm. I followed him through the house to his garden shed so's I could see the kit he's using on the film and tape [links to the back story - the material and my journey to collect it from the West Country in April 2010)

The process of restoring the material I inherited from my stepfather is taking time. It's nearly a year since the first synchronisation (actually the second, as the restored episode that gave me the original idea of what might be done, was completed in May 2010 by Roger Charlesworth at SWFTA). Although we now have a list of the tapes that go with the films and Lin and I, in June 2013, duct taped a dozen pairs of tapes and film, based on the numbers pasted on them at SWFTA, and had five of these pairs taken to London for Francis to work on, only one pair has yet been synchronised. This sample, just over for four minutes, has been done perfectly, and gives an idea of what's involved.

A trailer from the JH archive from Simon Baddeley on Vimeo.

The restoration process is nothing if not tricky, painstaking; even tedious.
"The atmos sound's not a problem but the spot sounds - like a hammer blow or a gate shutting - are"said Francis. He's lots of other film work, hitches with his machines, and he needs to work nights ... We discussed the possibility that after he's synchronised the next two pairs of sound tapes and film over the next fortnight, he focus on digitising sound tape and film and leaves the synchronisation for the moment. Then I suggested we see if it's possible to enlist additional helpers - people who might not have the technology or the skills to transfer the delicate 16mm film and the reel-to-reel sound tapes to DVDs, but do have the craft and perseverance required to work on synchronising the digitised sound to the digitised image on the archive material if provided with pairs of DVDs for each episode. One volunteer has described this in an email to Francis:

Hello Francis. My name is ***. I live in Maryland and became acquainted with Simon Baddeley and his efforts to rescue heretofore neglected and forgotten Out of Town material through his group on Facebook. 

One of the obvious problems Simon faces is the enormous amount of time and potential expense of stitching back together Stan Bréhaut’s MOS material with Jack’s extant recorded narratives. While Simon has made us aware of some of the technical challenges (e.g. sometimes having to time compress or dilate the narrative to match the flow of the picture), much of the effort appears to be the grunt work of cleaning up noise and persistently fiddling with the timing to get a good match.

Several of us in the circle of Jack’s fans have the digital tools and experience to be able to help with this on a volunteer basis, once the original digitalizations  are made. I suggested to Simon that he might farm out some of this raw material to us to accomplish some of the tedium. The would be little risk in trying this as all that would be passed to us are working copies of the original rips – and they can easily be passed to and worked on anywhere in the world. 

For myself, I was involved with website production for about 15 years which did involve a fair bit of video and sound editing & have use of a fairly powerful machine and the complete Adobe CS6 suite of software. For sound I move back & forth between Sony & Adobe, depending on the tools needed.
You are the one in the position to digitalize the precious originals and to judge which pieces require your technical expertise and which can be passed on to patient and reasonably capable enthusiasts. 

I am suggesting the following process for yours and Simon’s comment and discussion:

1. Proceed with mass digitalization of material before getting involved with the editing of individual pieces.

2. Do whatever tape to picture pairing can be done or identify a range of possibilities.

3. Provide reasonably detailed technical specifications for the finished product,

4. Send out pairs of rips to potential volunteers & let us do an “apprentice pieces” to see if further cooperation with this or that volunteer has potential.

Perhaps this will free you up to do the most challenging work and let the project progress in a more timely and economical way.

Thanks for your attention & I look forward to your reply. If you think it a go, we can arrange a telephone chat. Cheers, ***

From Hornsey I cycled south - knowing I can never get lost in London - ending up on the Holloway Road, then Camden Road where the rain returned more persistently and I had to shelter in a bus stop where I continued reading my Harris on Dreyfus, pondering the character of George Piquard, the author's interesting narrator,  as successive buses loaded and unloaded wet passengers until a let up...

...in the rain allowed me to continue into Friday evening Camden Town where the one way system fooled me into nearly cycling north again towards Chalk Farm and no-one I asked knew the way south

Passing through Camden Town on Friday evening

I had a sweet supper with family just off the Edgware Road and later cycled fast - the conversation difficult to break off - to Euston to catch a fast train back to New Street.
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I had a bizarre exchange about a hair-split on the difference between a primary and a secondary source. A didact let fly on a letter copied me by Richard Pine that he''d received from Seamus Heaney. The dialogue on a Wiki Talk page, its owner insisting the letter be removed at once. I disagreed - suggesting the letter was in the public domain permitted by the Heaney estate, quoted by Pine's publisher. This editor replied:

You asked for my suggestions; I replied. If you don't want the facts don't ask for them. Obviously, you are way out of your depth. I find it sad that someone whom claims to have degrees resorts to a website to publish their thoughts. If you can't contribute according to our norms, take your ball and go home. Chris Troutman (talk) 23:44, 23 July 2014 (UTC)

Chris, Such an intemperate and, frankly rude response is unacceptable. You owe Simon an apology. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 13:38, 24 July 2014 (UTC)

Chris, you have a reputation for speaking bluntly, but I have not seen you behave rudely before. I ask you to consider your words to Simon and make proper overtures to him regarding them and your behaviour in this thread. Even when we have a strongly held opinion we may not express it rudely. Fiddle Faddle 13:56, 24 July 2014 (UTC)

@Pigsonthewing: @Timtrent: So you two have been called upon because my "rather didactic advice" offends someone? Here's some more didactic advice for everyone: WP:PRIMARY and WP:SPS describe this letter as a primary source of questionable verifiability. Without provenance, I think the letter is problematic at best. My degree is in history. The study of history teaches us that a letter written contemporaneously to the subject period is a primary source. Primary sources are not to be used in tertiary sources because they require secondary source analysis, which is meant for qualified individuals, not hobbyists.

On wiki all editors are hobbyists; no one here is an expert even if they really are. Wikipedia is not set up with "verified" accounts; therefore, editors cannot argue from a position of authority. I don't take the word of anyone online, anyway. On Wikipedia we argue the facts independent of users.

Sibadd came to my talk page and asked for my advice. I provided it. That user chose to then argue with me about same and complain when my response was brusque. I didn't nominate anything for deletion or threaten to interfere. I didn't even raise an issue on the article's talk page. I registered an opinion and I wasn't degrading, demeaning, or hostile when doing so (in my opinion). And yes, Timtrent, I will be just as vehement in person; I find such intimation otherwise to be insulting. Sibadd's argument about the letter holds no water with me and I don't understand why a user that's been registered since 2006 doesn't understand these policies, guidelines, and essays or my reaction to their argument. While I have been trying to attract academics to Wikipedia as a Campus Ambassador, I reinforce the clear understanding that Wikipedia is functionally different. I don't care if you hold the Lucasian chair, you're just another editor cobbling together secondary sources on wiki. I do find it sad when academics mistake Wikipedia as an alternative. Adrianne Wadewitz never did that; she contributed encyclopedic knowledge and adhered to our rules, as we all should.

I am disappointed that for the amount of time I take considering how to respond, toning-down my initial response, and assuming good faith that I'm still perceived as some kind of reckless bomb-thrower. So, if my response doesn't meet your needs, take it to a noticeboard. I'd be content with an IBAN from all interested parties.Chris Troutman (talk) 02:22, 25 July 2014 (UTC)

I had not expected a rationale for rudeness to be attempted. I have no issue with your opinion being held strongly, nor with that opinion being expressed assertively. I have an issue with your rudeness to the editor. You can be as blunt as you wish up to but not passing the point of rudeness. I don't care one fig for anyone's degrees. I don't care whether the letter is out or in. I don't care about the article, though I care about articles. I do care about the way people behave towards others. I very much doubt I will say more on the matter in a timely manner, I am travelling today and tomorrow. After that the matter will have cooled and not be helped by being re-raised, so I think any further response form me will be unwarranted. I simply express my surprise and distaste for your behaviour, and for your reinforcing it. It is not your message I quarrel with; it is one you are entitled to deliver. It is your mode of delivery. Fiddle Faddle 05:05, 25 July 2014 (UTC)

Good to find out about Adrianne Wadewitz, and I'm glad other Wikipedia editors responded, reminding me of Jimmy Wales' and Andrea Wekerle's 2009 article on 'keeping a civil cybertongue...

...we need to create an online culture in which every person can participate in an open and rational exchange of ideas and information without fear of being the target of unwarranted abuse, harassment or lies. 

*** *** ***
Ah! The troubles of the bourgeoisie in peaceful Britain, as fire rains on Palestine, we are in the absurd situation of having such a backlog at Birmingham Registry Office that Guy and Amy cannot register the birth of Hannah Rowan, our grand-daughter, within the legal time limit for registering a new birth. The first available appointment is 28th August - a date Guy found after finally finding an unengaged phone slot on Monday morning - constantly ringing and ringing for nearly 40 minutes - will not allow time to get Hannah her compulsory passport, an application for which a birth certificate is essential. So will Amy be able to stay with us in Greece in September or even October?  I've written - via Facebook - to our MP, Khalid Mahmood, who's replied swiftly asking for details and saying he's on the case.
These delays on papers, the trickiness of proving you exist in the matrix...reminds me of Richard Pine's response on reading the wikipedia editors' exchanges about the letter from Seamus Heaney (SH):

Simon - not clear who the authors are, but obviously Chris Trouthead is a nasty person.
The stuff about the letter is BOLLOX - it's tantamount to saying the latter is a forgery, or never existed in the first place. Especially since SH is no longer with us to verify it.... What pathetic small-minded hypocrisy. RP

Now that's interesting. Is Richard's incivility, in a private email, that I've made public in a blog, a tertiary, secondary or primary source?  Is it possible I faked the letter and this email?  Is Seamus Heaney a real person? (continued on p.94)
**** **** ****
Lin and I went round to inspect a garden in Stamford Road that seems a fair candidate for Handsworth Helping Hand's assistance. There's been flytipping into the end of the garden from premises on Putney Road. We need to see if we can stop that, as well as contacting the Housing Agency responsible for the garden next door - get that tidied at the same time if possible.

*** *** ***
I'm as entranced as anyone by some stories in which animals are made like people - The Wind in the Willows especially - but I'm vexed by endless smiles and animals that look nothing like animals.

When I was six, Jack, who'd just started living with us, gave me a Christmas present laced with a treasury of illustration - Richard Lydekker's Royal Natural History in 6 volumes, published in 1896.

Now and then I've immersed myself, and my children and now my grandson in this magical bestiary in which the animals don't speak human, don't smile cheerfully and are, irrefutably, denizens of a feral universe...

 

Oliver's hardly two and half, for goodness sake, but I wanted some imprinting of images to compete with patronised animals, animated cars and Thomas the Tank Engine and friends, for all my tender spot for railways and steam trains; indeed any trains.

Lightning McQueen