Category Archives: General

Peter Lloyd’s popular Beer Appreciation group features in the June 2017 issue of “Sources”, the educational journal of the Third Age Trust. Written by Peter Lloyd and Barry Carr a year ago, the article has at last appeared in print.

Click on the small image for a larger version.

Bill Evans entertained us with his great selection of funny videos and clips.  Followed of course by tea and cakes.

The Philharmonic Concerts Group enjoyed a special occasion on 31st May this year, marking 50 years since The Beatles’ “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” revolutionised popular music. The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra teamed up with the well known Bootleg Beatles to recreate all the tracks on the famous album, plus a few more for good measure.

Another Great day out in the Uk’s most friendly City – we cannot disagree – it really was great fun in Liverpool. We visited The Sanctuary – a new Micro Bar;  The Crown – where we enjoyed some very nice Pub Grub;  The White Star;  The Canarfon Castle;  The Victoria Cross and Ma Edgertons.  Great old pubs and brilliant atmosphere in them all.

Click on picture to enlarge

Another of our regular sites which we try to visit at different times of the year.  A lovely day, mostly sunny or light cloud and with little wind, made good conditions for bird watching.

The morning and early afternoon were spent at main site before visiting the hides located on the edge of Morecambe Bay for the final part of the visit.

Star of the show was the spoonbill seen at the Morecambe Bay hide:

For a complete list of sightings and more pictures from this visit, click ‘Continue Reading’:

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One of our regular sites which we often visit at this time of year when some of the winter visitors are still present and summer visitors have started to arrive for the breeding season. There is also always a chance at this time of the year of spotting migrating birds flying overhead or dropping in to feed before continuing their journey. Unfortunately the weather conditions – mostly cloudy with a strong and blustery northerly wind prevented any migrant sightings on this visit.

The feeding station near the woodland hide virtually guarantees sightings of bullfinches and many other woodland and garden birds.

The lack of leaves at this time of year makes it easier to locate birds heard singing in the trees, but they are still difficult to photograph as this picture of a Chiffchaff taken by Bill Hale illustrates:

Despite the weather conditions this visit was well attended, 15 members of the group being present.

Click ‘Continue reading’ for the full list of species seen:

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June was away this session so the group did some research and had a discussion.

The session covered:

Maya – This starts with a watery void with grandfather and grandmother deities.  These deities gave birth to twin brothers one of whom was known as the Maize God who married and fathered two sons.  Following a ball game the twins were summoned to the underworld where after a series of trials they were sacrificed.  The Maize God’s severed head magically impregnated the daughter of an underworld god who gave birth to another set of twin brothers who were called the Hero Twins.  The Hero Twins excelled as hunters, ball players and tricksters.  They tricked their half-brothers’ turning them into monkey men who were patrons of all the arts.

In the Maya myth the creation is an iterative process.  The creation is imperfect so the cycle ends and the god tries again.  The first beings were made from mud, the second from wood, third is flesh and the fourth is maize dough which is the current cycle.

Valleys of the Chibcha – These people lived in the mountain valleys of what is now Colombia to the North of the Inca empire.  Their myth starts with darkness then the god Chiminigagua sets the light within him free using a flock of great black birds to disperse it.  Later he sets up the sun in the sky and the moon.  This god did not make man this was done by a female god Bachue and her son and they procreated and their off-spring populated the world.

Inca Creation Myths – These accounts were recorded by priests, from information on pottery, architecture and the legends which survived amongst the native people.  The world started as covered in darkness then out of a lake, the modern Lake Titicaca, a god called Con Tiqui Viracocha emerged.  More detailed information on this can be found via the Crystalinks site, details in the reference section of this post.  Many familiar themes come up.

Inca –  Chac the god of rain who covered the four corners of the world.

Northern Andean Tribes – An all powerful divinity called Sibu who had the power to grow men and animals from seeds.

Rubber Ball – A new item is the rubber ball which comes up more than once and is something of an enigma.  The rubber ball had associated ball courts where sacrifices and prayers were made.

Common South American themes –

Dark world, water as a source of people, birds, maize, trees and tree of life.  The South American myths are bird orientated.

Common World Themes–

There are common creation myth themes such as a great flood.

Although the land masses were separate, due to climatic conditions there was a greater uptake of water into ice which lowered the sea levels considerably by around 300 feet.  There would have been land bridges which we don’t see today.  Changes in climate conditions would have encouraged people to migrate, taking with them their myths and folklore.  It is estimated that at one point the human population may have dropped to fewer the 10,000 people.

References:-

There is a lot of information available online and in books, some of the sources used in the discussion are listed below.

Link to the map of human migration on national Geographic Site :- https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/human-journey/

World Mythology in Bite-Sized Chunks-M.Daniels-(M.O’Mara Books 2016.) Useful handbook to dip into as reference/guide. Short bibliography & website info.

Mythology – An Illustrated anthology of World Myth and Storytelling “ edited by C Scott Littleton , published by Duncan Baird Publishers . ISN 1-904292-00-3. Second hand copies are available on Amazon from about £4 + p&p, more recent edition for £10

The Maya eight edition Michael D Cole, published by Thames & Hudson ISBN 978-0-500-28902-0

The Mesoamerican Ballgame by Vernon L Scarborough 1993 ISBN 978-0-8165-1360-4

Link to Crystalinks Inca Creation Myths – http://www.crystalinks.com/incacreation.html

An Afternoon at the Movies – Three short films selected by Denise which between the three of us we managed to present.   The popcorn went down well and we have delicious  cakes with our tea and coffee.

Our famous raconteur Pearl Webster entertained us and Pauline Jones made us laugh with her regional poems

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Ten members of the group attended this, our first visit to Marbury Country Park near Northwich, Cheshire.  The weather was cloudy but fine in the morning, brightening up after lunch.  Marbury is an extensive site with a wide variety of habitats and a total of 53 different species were recorded.

Definitely worth another visit!

Click ‘Continue reading’ for the full list of species seen:

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The session covered:

North America-

The myths of the people of the First Nations, this was an oral tradition so information was transcribed.

In the previous session we covered the Huron and Iroquois myths, they were located north of Lake Erie, around the USA/Canada Border.

The Maidu people were located in what is now known as California.  If you have access to the internet for browsing there is a web site which covers this legend in detail http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/TheCreation-Maidu.html, there are other sites available.  It starts with a dark water filled world with two ‘persons’ floating on a raft, Turtle and Father-of-the-Secret-Society.  The Earth-Initiate came down from the sky onto the raft, his face is never seen but his body shines like the sun.  Similar to the Sky Father in other myths.  From here the land is created by tiny amounts of mud brought up from the sea bed by Turtle.  The Earth-Initiate calls his sister the sun and his brother the moon, he called the stars and they appeared.  Humans were made from the red earth.  Life is made to be easy but when the Earth-Initiate went back above the Coyote brought hard work.  When people die they go to the spirit house in the West.

Tuscarora people are one of the 6 nations of the Iroquois from where North Carolina is now.  It explains how the Sky Holder made the world and the plants and animals.  A long time later he created 6 pairs of humans and told each pair where to live.  The Sky Holder took the Tuscaroras further south towards the Roanoke River, and stayed with them and taught them.  They were the preferred people as he did not stay with any of the others.

Haida people were located along the coast of what is now British Columbia.  The Raven is the central figure who created rocks out of the water so he could rest.  These became the Queen Charlotte Islands.  The Raven made two women from sea shells and only later was a man created by throwing limpet shells at one of the women.

These myths have the common themes such as the ocean/water similar to the primeval sea, a mother earth type figure, sky spirits, good/evil.  There are similarities between the North America and Australia myths where people are seen to have animal ancestors.

Topic 1 – Image Manipulation – Click an image for slide show Continue reading →

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Useful Reference – A. W. Reed Aboriginal Myths, Legends and Fables, 1982, Reed New Holland, Sydney, 2000.

This can be found by searching on the internet and may be available second hand book shops.

The session covered:

Australian creation myths continued-

Great Spirit Father – this was a belief in the south east of Australia, he was  known by a number of names and in the new South Wales he was called Baiame, he was thought, non-corporeal.  He shaped the earth and all on it by thought alone.

The session looked more deeply at two myths associated with Baiame.  Baiame and Marmoo and Baiame and Man.

• Baiame and Marmoo – how the world created by Baiame was changed by Marmoo the Spirit of Evil and the opposite of all that was good.
• Baiame and Man – the creation of the world by thought, how day and night were created.  The creation of man incorporating the wisdom and majesty of Baiame and the subsequent creation of woman.

Great Mother Myth – Most of the myths are male dominated but in some parts of the Northern Territories there is the Great Mother.  The Great Mother wandered the Earth in Dreamtime and gave birth to all living things.

Diverse Themes – The Ancestor Myths which are very physical and the Spirit Myths are very different.

The group discussed how this could come about.  It has been suggested ancestor myths are older than the Great Spirit myths and reflect an earlier belief system which was replaced as people became more sophisticated.

An alternative view is that the Great Spirit myths were influenced by contact with Europeans/Christians.  There is a contra view which is that these were likely to be much older than that as they occur in areas where there was little or no contact such as the outback.

North America-

Covering the myths of the people of the First Nations.  This was an oral tradition.

Huron and Iroquois myth. – In 1874 information was recorded from a Huron Chief when he was 70 remembering the traditions from when he was young.  A woman fell from the sky and a Great Turtle  brought earth from the sea bed to make land for the woman to live on.  This grew larger to form a great country which was borne on the back of the Great Turtle.  The woman had twins a Bad Brother and a Good Brother.

This topic will be completed next session.

We were highly entertained by Dee with Keyboard Music and a great story quiz supported by Pat then Peter Gateley gave us a most informative and entertaining talk on Leaves

Leaves

Black-tailed Godwits and Ruff in flight – photo by Bill Hale

Black-tailed Godwit – photo by Tony Leigh

Ten members of the group attended our first outing of 2017, with four staying on for the afternoon.  The weather was fine and sunny in the morning but increasingly cloudy after lunch.

A total of 52 species were seen with large flocks of Whooper Swans; Pink-footed and Greylag Geese; Black-tailed Godwits and Ruff being among the highlights of this visit.

Click on ‘Continue Reading’ below for a full list of species seen.

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18 February : Cork Jackets and Drill – tells the story, through original music, songs and narration of the 1886 Southport lifeboat disaster, which claimed the lives of almost all of the crew members of the Southport and St. Anne’s Lifeboats.

The music, songs and script are by Southport based playwright Len Pentin whose work has been performed at local theatres, on BBC Radio Merseyside and at the London Fringe. The six person musical performance with its folk roots tells how the dreadfully impoverished mostly fishermen bravely gave battle one terrible storm-ridden winter night in 1886, in an attempt to save the crew of a ship in distress off Southport Sands.

At the time, the tragedy touched and deeply affected the whole of the UK but it is now sadly, largely forgotten. Cork Jackets and Drill attempts to reinstate the memory of the brave lifeboat men who risked and gave their lives that night for others.

‘And they call us part-time sailors, but we are soul-savers’

In April, some of our members visited Ormskirk Magistrate’s Court for the last time. The Court closed its doors at the end of June.

3 May: After an interesting guided walk around the area known as the Ropewalks in Liverpool, the Athenaeum opened its doors to us for a tour and lunch. The Athenaeum was founded in 1797 as a library and newsroom for gentlemen. During its time it has acquired, usually from donations, an interesting collection of artefacts. We were able to see some recently discovered historical items such as an ‘1836 passport’ used as a bookmark, and the typewriter which belonged to the Liverpool born Nicholas Montserrat, who served in the Royal Navy in WW2, and who based his novel ‘The Cruel Sea‘ on his wartime experiences.

Visit to the Athenaeum in Liverpool

The Athenaeum has a unique library collection

7 June: A warm welcome awaited us in June at Fulwood Barracks, Preston, home of the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment.

The Lancashire Infantry Museum at Fulwood Barracks

Medals galore

7 June: We travelled on to Lancashire Record Office and heard a fascinating presentation of our local history and had the opportunity to see and handle some of our precious documents, maps and ledgers, linking us with our ancestors.

Lancashire Archives tells the story!

Examining the record books

11 June: We enjoyed a Tour and Tales around the Ribble Valley on Saturday 11th June, visiting a few ancient Inns. According to the Ordnance Survey map we were in the centre of the UK when we visited Dunsop Village. Yes, we did have some rain puddles.

Dunsop Bridge

Puddleducks and Puddles!

Remembering

5 July: On our last outdoor visit we walked in the footsteps of Agnes, Kitty and James listening to some of the history of our three humble local history representatives. The photo shows us next to the statue of Kitty Wilkinson in St. George’s Hall.

Agnes Jones worked tirelessly to improve the conditions in Britain’s largest workhouse situated on Brownlow Hill, Liverpool. Kitty Wilkinson is remembered for her selfless humanitarian work especially during the cholera epidemic of 1832. James Carling was a pavement artist known as the `little chalker`.

Kitty Wilkinson’s statue in St. George’s Hall

Much appreciation to our photographers for taking and supplying the photos.

Margaret Gibbon’s sensational Local History Group summer outings have been a testament to her enthusiasm, organisation skills and eye for historical detail.

3 May: Brief Encounter

A day out for a “Brief Encounter”

The famous clock at Carnforth railway station, featured in the film, “Brief Encounter”

7 June & 20 September: Houghton Tower and Canal Cruise

December: Did we step back in time at our Lancashire Day celebration?

Town Crier, Don Evans

En garde!

Did we step back in time?

Lancashire Day celebrations

We enjoyed a series of performances  by our Drama Group  followed by refreshments and an impromptu quiz.    A great start to the New Year

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The session covered:

Common Themes–

There are themes which appear in creation mythology which occur in more than one culture.  There are theories as to how these myths became common and widespread.  Perhaps this was spread by travelling people.  They have commonalities with each other which could be explained by similarities in society structure, agricultural environment so could have been used to explain the world.  An alternative view is there is something fundamental within humans which lead to a need to explain things so we do not feel totally helpless.  It formed a basis for discussion at the session.

How would this apply to remote areas of the world such as New Zealand and Australia?

New Zealand Creation Myths–

The New Zealand myths, these have similarities with other cultures creation myths in that they started from darkness (Te Kore) and had the sky (Ranginui the Sky Father) and earth (Papatuanuku the Earth Mother) which were separated to create a space between them.  Then followed explanations for the winds and storms, the stars etc.

It is relatively small, with well-connected communities and the myths were relatively uniform across New Zealand and considered learned.

Australian Creation Myths–

Australia is more fragmented.  The people were more dispersed, separate and isolated with different languages and dialects, living in very different climates and environments.  There are a myriad different myths and legends for creation.  They are on a more human scale.

Dreamtime and ancestor mythology was widespread.  In this time is not linear, the ancestors are still here, transformed, and are part of the world.  Sudden events happen.

Members of the Ballroom Dancing Group enjoyed their 2016 Christmas party at the Ministry Centre Christ Church

Click on photo to enlarge

2014

Local History Group Mystery Tour

2013

2012

2011

2010

Town Crier making the Lancashire Day Proclamation

We had a lively Debate on Foreign Aid – introduced by Mia Faza – followed by Festive Refreshments

The Sunnysiders then gave us a wonderful  variety show.

Topic 1 – Night Picture – Click an image for slideshow Continue reading →

Five members of the group attended this visit.  The weather was mostly cloudy and fine but with a few showers and (even fewer) sunny intervals.  The visit coincided with high tide and there were large flocks of geese, ducks and waders.  Unfortunately the hazy conditions made it difficult to identify all the species present.

Click ‘Continue reading’ for the full list of the 34 species seen:

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This was a first for the group and a Comedy Farce in classic Brian Rix style, set in a large house in a remote village: a clinic that offers sanctuary, rest and relaxation therapy to celebs, but has seen better days with just two celebrities. Meanwhile in the same village there is an old folks home. Absolute chaos then ensues when the celebs get mixed up with the old folks, there is a power cut following an explosion, and a “Real” celeb then arrives. The old folks end up as staff, new premises have to be found with make shift rooms, then more chaos following a massive flood, in and out of doors, complicated manoeuvres, narrowly avoiding their naked forms.

A good selection of pictures taken from “Act your Age “

Some nice reviews:-

Ann from St Helens U3A:- “Well done to the cast, we thoroughly enjoyed the performance, everyone worked so hard.”

Mary Hall – All Souls Dramatic club:- “Lot’s of hard work resulted in a very enjoyable evening. The fun and farce was in evidence right from the beginning and the stellar cast managed their energy and exuberance and voice throughout despite many playing more than one role. Given that many of the cast have never been on the stage before and that they range from 59 to 86, I feel that that they must be applauded and I for one look forward to their next production.”

Bill Howarth – Founder and member of Maghull U3A:- “They gave a very good account of their diverse talents and stage production in this performance of Christopher Wortley’s Musical Farce “Act Your Age”, an appropriate title for a cast of over 60’s, well prepared to do the title justice. It was evident that the riotous fun and repartee of the script had been well rehearsed and were reflected in the performance. Outstanding throughout were Valerie (Dorothy Prothero) and Pat (Maureen Morris) in “Stage Owning ” performances, with Angela (Gill O’Flaherty) bringing glamour to the set. The transformed cast in exciting costumes and a tricky moment involving towels complimented the main players. Both set design and lighting deserve credit for an outstanding set as does the Musical Director, Doreen Bridson. The journey from the old folks home to a celebratory clinic provided an abundance of laughs amongst many good performances. Well Done !!!”

A Communication from the U3A National Office………..

I am pleased to let you know that Eric Midwinter, one of our founders, has been asked to speak on the Radio 4 programme, “You and Yours” at lunchtime on Monday 12th December in recognition of achieving 1000 U3As. This was the programme where the U3A concept was first aired by Eric all those years ago in 1981.

I thought you may want to know in case you wish to tune in. Please let your members know too. Should you be unable to listen at that time it will be available in the episodes section of the You and Yours area of the BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qps9

Regards from,
Sam Mauger,
Chief Executive Officer,
The Third Age Trust.

If you missed the programme, it is available on the BBC Radio iPlayer at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b084thf4, from 33 minutes into the program.

Eight members of the group attended the morning session for our second visit to this quite new reserve by the River Alt.  A cool clear morning with light cloud meant the conditions were quite good for bird watching.  Just three members of the group stayed for the afternoon session during which the cloud steadily increased bringing rain which started just as we were leaving.

Highlight of the visit were the large flocks of pink-footed geese, lapwing, crows and pheasants feeding in the fields on the other side of the river.

Click ‘Continue reading’ for the full list of the 34 species seen:

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The session covered:

Germanic Creation Myths–

Creation mythology belonging to the Germanic tribes, including the Angles and Saxons who were settling in Britain from c400AD onwards, and there is a familiar pattern of a Sky God who mated with Mother Earth to produce the various elements of the universe.

Scandinavian Creation Myths–

The creation mythology that belonged to the Scandinavian peoples (including the Danes and Norwegians who were moving into Britain from c800 AD onwards) where it is the god Odin who is credited with creating the Earth, the sky, stars, sun, moon, and the first people.  It is suggested that Odin started his career as the Germanic god Woden, a god of wind and stormy weather, and also a god of battle and a god of the dead.  By 800 AD he had also acquired the attributes of the old Germanic sky god, and emerged as the creator of the universe and the leader of the gods.

The Scandinavian creation myths are very dynamic, with an original chaos that is all about two regions of ice and fire that clash together in the Great Void.

The first living creatures were a giant called Ymir and a cow called Audumla who feeds the giant with her milk, and Buri & Bor who are the ancestors of the gods, emerge from out of the melting ice.  Ymir produces a son, who is the first of the Frost Giants.  Bor and the Frost Giantess Bestla produce three sons Odin, Vili and Ve (it is suggested that Vili and Ve are just aspects of Odin, so we would have Odin as the “three in one”).

The Story of Ormskirk Gingerbread was wonderfully  presented by Margaret Gibbon

Followed by Gingerbread refreshments  and then a great Music Quiz  from Bill Evans with great animations and a rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone.

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Five members of the group made the trip to the North of Lancashire for this visit to the RSPB reserve at Leighton Moss.  The weather was mostly cloudy but dry for the morning session with a few sunny intervals but quite cool and with quite a stiff breeze.  The
afternoon session was sunnier and warmer.

This year’s visit to Leighton Moss had been timed to give us the best chance of seeing the Bearded Tits, and we were not disappointed!

Bearded Tits are uncommon birds, but present at Leighton Moss throughout the year but stay largely hidden in the reeds except at this time of the year when they visit the bird tables for grit (not food).

Another highlight of this visit was the sighting of four Great White Egrets.  Until recently these birds were classed as vagrants but, over the last few years, they have been extending their range (still in small numbers) after first breeding in Somerset in 2012.

This Robin was determined that we would also notice the common birds!

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Six members of the group attended our latest visit to this local nature reserve.  The weather was warm and sunny in the morning, clouding over for the afternoon session which was cut short by a thunderstorm.

Click ‘Continue reading’ for the full list of species seen:

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The sessions covered:

Hindu Creation Myths-

According to Hindu mythology (in the Rig Vega) Varuna, the sky god and the god of water, willed the universe into being.  He set out the three worlds- the heavens, the Earth and the air in between the two, and “fixed the waters above the heavens”.  Varuna held the heavens above the earth and lets the waters through, little by little, to fall on the earth as rain.  Varuna was also responsible for maintaining the “good order” of the universe- he had a continuing responsibility for the universe that he created.  In later myths (in the Upanishads) Vishnu replaced Varuna as the creator god.

Greek Creation Myths-

In early Greek myths (Pelasgian myths) the goddess Eurynome was the first entity to emerge from the original Chaos.  She created the serpent Ophion, mated with him, then took the form of a dove and laid the Universal Egg.  All the elements of the universe hatched out of the egg.  Eurynome also gave birth to the gods and goddesses known as the Titans, who were responsible for maintaining order in the new universe and for keeping it safe.

In later Mycenaean myths, the goddess Night was courted by the Wind and she laid “a silver egg in the womb of darkness”.  The egg hatched and out stepped the deity Eros (not the same character as the later god of love).  Eros created the sky, sun, moon and Earth, but it was the goddess who ruled the universe.

Other Mycenaean myths, five beings emerged from the original Chaos these were Gaia (Earth), Erebus (Darkness) Nyx (Night), Tartarus (the Abyss) and Eros.  These beings created the various elements of the universe. Gaia gave birth to Uranus (the sky god) and then Gaia and Uranus produced the Titans who were to rule the universe and to make sure that good order prevailed.

Cronos, the youngest of the Titans, killed his father Uranus and took over as sky god and supreme ruler of the heavens and the earth. Cronos and his sister/wife Rhea then produced the next generation of gods, the Olympian gods- Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon and Zeus.  Zeus killed his father Cronos and took over from him as the sky god, ruler of the gods, and supreme ruler of the universe.

Some Greek myths say that the first humans emerged spontaneously from the earth.  According to other myths, the first men were created by the Titan Prometheus from clay and water. The goddess Athene (Zeus’ daughter) breathed life into the figures.  The first woman (Pandora) was created by Zeus (or on Zeus’ orders) to cause trouble for Prometheus, with whom Zeus had a running feud.

S. H. Hooke, “Middle Eastern Mythology”, London, Penguin, 1963

Donald MacKenzie, “Mythology of the Babylonian People”, London, Bracken Books, 1996.

The Folklore Society which studies all aspects of folklore and tradition – http://folklore-society.com/

Steve Round, “A Pocket  Guide to the Superstitions of the British Isles”, Penguin, 2004

Steve Round,  “The English Year”, Penguin, 2006

Christina Hole and E & M.A. Radford, “The Encyclopedia of Superstitions”, revised edition published by Helicon, 1995

Brian Day,  “Chronicle  of Celtic Folk Customs”,  Hamlyn, 2000

Two more general books on folklore  and legends from all over the country:-

Jennifer Westwood,  “Albion: A Guide to Legendary Britain”, first published 1985, paperback edition Harper Collins, 1994

Jennifer Westwood & Jacqueline Simpson,   “The Lore of the Land: A Guide to England’s Legends”,  Penguin, 2005, paperback edition 2006.

These can be difficult to find so try your local library which may be able to order them for you or look in second hand bookshops or charity shops.

Denise Lathom presented us with 3 Somerset Maugham films which we thoroughly enjoyed, even when the ‘reel’ broke down.     We had ice creams at the interval served by our very own usherette Pauline Jones

Pearl Webster  (recital)

Val Bullen (Guitar Sing-a-long)

Bill Evans  (quiz & music)

Denise Latham (Flowers are Fun)

Winner of ‘Flowers are Fun’ – Pauline Rigby & Team

We downsized several years ago,
Decided our piano would have to go.
It was a Bechstein, one of the best
But it sounded like a honky tonk from the far Wild West.
The music stool and the music went too.
I sold my musical traumas – I’d had more than a few!
I had less than fond memories of teachers that shout.
My musical evenings were over and out.

But where’s my piano? I wanted it back.
OK. It was old. The white notes had gone black.
There’s nowhere to put photos and candles any more
And those wooden elephants are stuck on the floor.
Ouch! I’ve tripped over them again. There’s a lump on my head.
They’ve got to go somewhere, maybe out in the shed.
Joking apart, there’s a space in my heart.
I’d been too impulsive, trying to make a new start.

So I tripped along to the keyboard store
And had a tour which left me more
Confused by a hundred keyboards all shapes and sizes,
Pianos dressed in smart disguises.
Touch a note, a whole orchestra plays.
Is that what I want? I’m trapped in a daze.
And there’s no room for the elephants on a Yamaha top.
They’ll have to emigrate to the Oxfam shop.

There’s an ad in the paper. It’s just down the road.
A keyboard for sale £40.  I’ll be blowed!”
Still in the box, pristine but I bet
There’s no orchestra. Well what do you get
For £40? I wonder how it sounds.

I went along to U3A
With my second hand keyboard, just feeling my way.
My new toy did fantastic things.
So clever and light! Such pleasure it brings.
But……at the Keyboard Group there were magnificent things.
Tyros 3 and Tyros 4,
They sound like bulls without the gore.
I raise my cape. Into battle!
I’ll show those Tyros 3 and 4.

And now my teacher’s Doreen or Dee.
She wouldn’t dare to shout at me
Because I’m scary now and tough
And playing just like Rachmaninuff!
Well, the keyboard does half the stuff.

Thanks Dee for all your kind advice.
The £1 coin a very small price
For the help we get and encouragement,
But the inspiration brings discontent.
I want to be creative, I want to be bold
But my fingers refuse to do as they’re told.
I fancy playing jazz to relive my youth.
Well, I never went to a jazz club to tell the truth!

We listen hard and practise scales,
Make progress like a bunch of snails.
We’ll never be Chopin or Charlie Kunz
But we still produce some damn good tunes.
And we all feel we’ve made a friend.
I hope our meetings never end.
Pat Morton

Dee is the leader of the Keyboard Group and I wrote this poem for her birthday. The poem tells its own story but I must add how much I enjoy being part of the group. I have made some good friends and learnt such a lot, although there is always so much more to learn. I benefit so much from the various groups I belong to and I am immensely grateful to the U3A for giving me these opportunities. Long may it continue to flourish!

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Topic 1 – A Spring Garden – Click an image for slideshow

1st Mike Williams

2nd Eleanor Wroe

3rd Alan Starkie

4th Pauline Smith

Topic 2 – Sport –  Click an image for slideshow

3rd Chris Chapman

2nd Mike Williams

1st Richard Jones

4th = Sue Denny

4th= Chris Denny

Mallards in eclipse plumage at Parbold

This was the group’s first visit to Parbold.  Starting from the sports ground car park a two mile circuit took in a wide variety of habitats including farmland, wildflower meadow, woodland, river and canalside.  The breezy conditions kept many of the smaller birds in the trees making identification difficult but nevertheless an enjoyable morning attended by 10 members of the group.

One of the highlights of the visit came right at the end when we had a good view of a Whitethroat, thanks to Eric for first spotting it!

Click ‘Continue reading’ for the full list of species seen on this visit:

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It was the bird watching group’s first visit to Yarrow Valley and everyone who came was impressed with the interest and variety of landscape found there. From the Visitor Centre we walked up above the valley floor to Burgh Meadows where the grass reached well over six feet tall. We struggled to identify birdsong, but were surrounded by a carpet of wild flowers; thank you Brian for carefully identifying them all (see separate log at the end of this report).

The dull cloudy weather also made bird recognition difficult but we saw meadow pipits, magpies and swifts, and heard linnets in the bushy trees. When we dropped down through woodland to the large reservoir, great crested grebe, black headed gulls, common tern, house martins, and Canada geese were present. The walk along the River Yarrow to the weir had the promise of kingfishers and dippers, (a promise not kept), but high in the trees we saw Jays and in the dappled river margins grey wagtails foraged.

Definitely worth another visit!

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Don’t throw out your local freebie, the Ormskirk Champion dated 17 August 2016 until you read the front page article.  It features our very own Graham Sumner and his cliff fall and the unexpected aftermath. His amazing story has also attracted the attention of other media such the Cheshire Chronicle, the Southport Visitor and Radio Merseyside. Or you may be able to  hear the tale direct from Graham who regularly attends Horizons and a number of groups.

Graham very generously gives some of  his “third chance” time helping U3A by doing Web Authoring for the Ten-pin Bowling and Mah Jong groups and the Welcome Team.  And in September he is planning to do a charity walk in aid of North West Air Ambulance who transported him to hospital after his fall.

The session covered:

Four Main Egyptian Creation Myths – There are four main traditions for the creation for which records have survived, based in cultural centres along the Nile.  These were Heliopolis, Memphis, Hermopolis and Thebes.  These have similar themes of a primeval ocean to the ones in Suma etc. covered in the previous session

Khum – In addition there is Khnum a creator god who was known all over Eygpt.

Common Themes – There are similarities in these beliefs and stories in the Hebrew tradition as recorded in the Old Testament Book of Genesis which has at least 2 accounts of creation, Jewish folklore with Adam and Eve and a tradition that survives in the Koran where Satan takes the form of a serpent to tempt Eve.

Skylark at Marshside

Following the last minute change of venue due to the inclement weather, eight members of the group attended this visit to Marshside and enjoyed a good morning’s bird watching before the rain arrived in the afternoon.

We were also joined on this visit by two guests, Peter and Mike Twist, and benefited greatly from their extensive knowledge and experience.

A total of 50 bird species were observed, the most the group has recorded in a single visit to Marshside.

Other highlights included:

A Mediterranean Gull amongst the Black-Headed ones

• A male Garganey, a rare and secretive duck with a UK breeding population estimated to be only around 100 pairs.
• 4 Mediterranean Gulls, among the numerous black-headed gulls
• Black-tailed Godwits and Ruff in full breeding plumage
• Avocets with chicks

Click ‘Continue reading’ for the full list of species seen:

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Topics Covered :

Why Creation Myths Came about – a discussion around the topic.

Location – Near East/Middle East Maps giving an indication for Sumer and Babylonia’s location, roughly where Syria and Iraq are now.

Time Line – Approximate dates to give time context.

Sumerian and Babylonian Creation Mythology – these are the earliest with surviving physical records.  The information based on clay tablets discovered in archeological excavations of temple and palace ruins.  These had multiple gods.

Topics covered:

May Eve – Before 1752, when the Julian Calendar was in place, May Day was later in the year and May blossom was flowering on the day.  Hawthorn was special, representative of the earth mother, fertility and goddess and used symbolically at May Eve.

May Poles – were saplings, often birch, where most branches were taken off and decorated.  These would be set up on the village green and danced around all year.  These were very different from the white Victorian ones we have today.

The May Queen – Originally had a King.  The procession provided a service to bring good luck in return for donations.

May Hobby Horses – In Padstow the Obby Oss is one of the last hobby horses, it comprises of a wooden frame resting on the rider’s shoulders, with a fashioned horse’s head.  With attendants the Hobby Horse would parade around the town.

May Dew – had special curative properties curing consumption and poor sight amongst other, and brought good luck for the year ahead.

Midsummer -rituals involved bonfires, these happened all over Europe with torchlight processions.

August – the first loaves were baked from the new wheat.

Harvest – rituals were pagan, rowdy and unbridled.  The church tamed it down and civilised it.  The Kern Baby or Corn Dolly preserved spirit of the Goddess of the Corn through the winter.

There was a short discussion on Mythology and how it is distinct from Folklore.  Mythology is large scale covering fundamentals such as where the universe comes from.   Folklore is more domestic.

Our Speaker Secretary is retiring and we desperately need someone to take over the role. If you are interested, please have a word with the retiring Speaker Secretary, Mia Faza who will advise you regarding what’s involved.

There is a possibility that a Speaker Team may be formed in order to spread the workload.

Report by Peter Hatfield, photos by Graham Cawdell.

Woolston Eyes Nature Reserve, our May visit this year, never disappoints. Positioned between the Manchester Ship Canal and the River Mersey it provides secluded and naturalised habitat for a good range of unusual species which we viewed from 6 hides all overlooking the lagoon.

The surprise visitor was a solitary Turnstone (my first) it resembles a ringed plover with chestnut feathers to back and wings, and was seen very close to the hide.

There were large numbers of breeding Pochard, a migrant duck whose numbers are decreasing in the UK, also large numbers of breeding Gadwall.

The rare Black Necked Grebe was the main attraction, we saw 7 or 8 including one on a nest. Woolston Eyes has 25% of the UK breeding population. They return to northern Russia after breeding.

A flock of Swifts overhead gave a splendid aerobatic display. We also saw and heard 5 species of warbler (Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Whitethroat) assisted by Douglas who guided us throughout the visit and had an excellent ear for birdsong identification.

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A cold but clear morning with many trees not yet in leaf made for good conditions for spotting woodland birds.

We had planned to also look out over the estuary but with restricted time available decided to stay in the gardens and woodlands around the hall.  Five group members attended on this occasion.

Highlight of this visit:  A Merlin flying overhead – the smallest of the falcons.

Song Thrush at Speke Hall

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The weather was cloudy but mostly dry for this visit to Pennington Flash which was attended by nine members of the group.  The light winds made conditions much more favourable for spotting smaller birds than on our previous outings in 2016.

Highlights included:

• Seeing (rather than just hearing) a Cetti’s Warbler, and at close quarters.
• Great Crested Grebes
• Willow Tits
• The variety of different bird species seen

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Unfortunately June could not attend the session so the topic was carried forward to May.

Topic 1 – Quintessentially English –  Click an image for slideshow

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Topics covered:

Eggs. Associated with Spring and new life by many cultures with painted and coloured eggs being given as gifts by the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Persians and Chinese in pagan festivals celebrating the return of Spring.  Eggs were symbols of Christ’s resurrection for early Christians.

Colouring eggs. Colouring eggs is ancient and widespread, with mysterious reasons to decorate eggs with special origins stated.  Red being a symbol of life, good luck and fortune.

Chinese Red Eggs
© Alpha (https://flic.kr/p/a79mA6)

Tsoureki, traditional Greek Easter Bread
© David Joyce (https://www.flickr.com/photos/bobba_dwj/17146723452)

Easter Games.  There were lots of games focussed around the Easter period, often involving young men showing off their strength. Easter Eggs were used in games such as egg tossing, egg-shackling, egg rolling.

Bonfires.  May Day marked the beginning of Summer.  There were many ritual bonfires, seen as good luck, symbols of renewal and purifying.  All domestic fires would be put out and a bonfire lit by a sacred fire kindled in a special way and then domestic fires would be relit from torches from the bonfire.  Fires were lit at other times of the year.  A strict process had to be followed, with lots of conditions.  Need Fires were lit at times of crisis such as Foot and Mouth.

Ballroom Dancing Group Christmas Party 2015

The Ballroom Dancing group once again enjoyed its annual Christmas Dance party which was held at the Ministry Centre.

The Ballroom Dancing Group made its annual spring visit on Tuesday 15 March to Blackpool Tower Ballroom and enjoyed an afternoon of dancing. In the evening the group members had an excellent five course meal at the Hilton Hotel in Blackpool. At a total cost of £32 for the coach, ballroom entrance and meal this was excellent value for money.

The members of the Ballroom Dancing Group who number in excess of 100 certainly enjoy the group’s activities and are looking forward to future visits to the Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

The speaker on Monday 14th March on the topic of “All you need to know about Fuchsias” was  Brian Houghton who has over 30 years experience of growing fuchsias. He is President and Secretary to the Merseyside Fuchsia Group also Chairman of the Wigan Fuchsia Society. He is a committee member of the British Fuchsia Society. Brian has a lifetimes interest in the cultivation and propagation of Fuchsias.

Just three members of the group braved the cold drizzly weather for this visit.  Conditions were far from ideal, but nevertheless we managed to record a total of 29 species.

Highlights included:

• Goldeneye
• Mediterranean Gull

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Peter Gateley speaking at the newly re-formed Gardening Group

The meeting held on 8th February was an outstanding success with a record attendance of 120 people to hear Peter Gateley speak on the topic “A flower for every day”.

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Seen (through heavy rain) at Martin Mere on February 9^th 2016 in mid afternoon from Kingfisher Hide, immediately below the hide in a shallow pool amidst reedbeds 10 metres away.

Status: Resident breeder and migrant winter (October – March) visitor.

Recognition: Lead grey face and breast, chestnut upper including cap with black streaks, long down curved dull red bill, black and white striped belly, short upright tail with white/cream underside, 23-26cm long including bill. Smaller than a moorhen. It has a repertoire of calls including grunts, groans, whistles, squeaks and squeals, often silent during daylight hours in winter, but calls audible after dark.

Habitat: All types of standing water including small ponds, large meres, wetlands, marshes,especially favouring rushes, sedges and phragmites reeds.  They feed on aquatic invertebrates, small fish, amphibians (frogs), insects, and vegetable matter including rhizomes.

Abundance: The UK population is thought to be in excess of 1000 breeding pairs (Brown and Grice 2005) but this number is swollen from September to spring as migrants arrive from northern Europe and Iceland. Because of the birds elusive habit it is impossible to be sure of population numbers and some experts think the quoted numbers underestimate the actual resident population. Water Rails are on the Amber List of rare birds following the significant decline in numbers between 1970 and 1990. Birds are mostly seen in single numbers, but in favoured breeding grounds (Dee Estuary) flocks of 20-30 are occasionally recorded. Have been sighted at most of the wetland reserves in the NW of England. Resident breeding bird present in the UK all year.

Acknowledgements: Collins Bird Guide UK and Europe;  Collins BTO Guide to British Birds;  Bird Atlas of Cheshire (CAWOS);  British Birds (AA)

Topics covered:

Dressing as animals. Frowned on by the church but ignored by the people.

Mummer’s plays. Plays of the people. Based on pagan traditions. Players always dressed in disguise as a form of protection.

Yule candle, yule log. To ensure good luck in new year both candle and log must remain lit.

New Year First footing and wassailing. First footing ensures good fortune for coming year. Wassailing 12th day farmers toast crop then return to farmhouse for feasting.

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A cold and blustery February day with heavy showers but also sunny intervals. Despite the weather twelve members of the group attended the morning session for our first outing of 2016.

Highlights of the morning included:

• large flocks of Whooper Swans, Geese and Shelduck
• Marsh Harriers

Only two members were able to stay on after lunch, but were treated to good views of the Barn Owl hunting (which one or two of the group had seen in the distance in the morning).

Other highlights of the afternoon were 3 Snipe and a Water Rail, both seen through pouring rain from the shelter of ‘Kingfisher Hide’

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Group Members’ recent paintings. Click (or tap) on any picture to start a slideshow of (larger scale) images.

Monday 18 January 2016:  Christmas Festivities and its pre-Christian precursors.  There was much symbolism in the use of greenery and decoration from pagan times.

 A good attendance at our third session

Monday 21 December 2015:  Halloween and New Year.  This included burning the Clavie in Burghead on 11 January, New Year’s Eve in the old calendar.  The Clavie was a burning tar and peat filled barrel prepared with much custom and ceremony.  It was then carried round the town on the head by some strong male bearers.  This was supposed to be for good luck for the year ahead.  This tradition is still carried out today.

The images below were provided by the Burghead Visitor Centre, the link will take you to the Clavie page.

Burning the Clavie, Burghead, Scotland

 Anyone wanting to read more information on this can read Christina Hole’s ‘A Dictionary of British Folk Customs’, London, Hutchinson & Co., 1976, pp 48-50.

 Monday 16 November 2015:  This was the first meeting of the group.  At this session it was decided that the first topic focus would be folklore and traditions associated with festivals & festivities through the year.

The AGM followed on from the St Kilda Talk, with 10 group members in attendance:

The meeting began with a personal tribute from Peter Hatfield to Eric Morris who had led the group so well for 12 years until handing over at the beginning of May 2015. This was endorsed by all present. Eric continues to be active with the group and remains a valued member of the group.

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Bob Cratchitt…retired was performed at Ormskirk Civic Hall in December 2015.  It was written by the very talented Eric Midwinter, one of the founder members of the U3A in Britain.

It’s a sequel to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Tony Crimlisk wrote the music, John Hardiker directed and Gaynor Hale was our choreographer.

We thank you for all your usual support for this very special show and hope it got you in a festive mood just in time for Christmas!

Here are 2 reviews starting with a letter from Eric Midwinter, the author:

What a fascinating and glorious occasion! Although I’m supposed to be a wordsmith, I’m struggling to express how much it meant to me to see ‘Bob’ spring to life with such energy, pace, colour, laughter, dazzling effects, theatrical pictures, superb costuming, enthralling music, well-executed, rounded and adeptly comprehended characterisation…, to quote ‘The King and I’, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Knowing you are meeting up on Monday, would you please convey to everyone involved a most genuinely felt and affectionate vote of appreciation from the author.

My head is full of images, sounds and sights which keep rolling around and then turning up again…I think I can also add that the ‘top brass’ from the national U3A were seriously impressed; even by the interval they were overwhelmed by the sheer wonder of it all – ‘I have seen a lot worse in the West End’, said the current chairman; ‘I always knew it would be marvellous’ said the immediate past chairman, who has shown a keen interest in ‘Bob’ ever since I told her of his forthcoming existence. Such positive reactions – and well-merited

Thank you doesn’t cover it – but ‘thank you’. I hope to see you and, who knows, collaborate with you all again in the future.

And next, Jenny Robson wrote in the Champion newspaper:

Known for pulling out all the stops to create original productions this society’s latest effort is no exception.

With the script and lyrics written by Eric Midwinter and music by the society’s own Tony Crimlisk it is an upbeat story of Bob Cratchitt as he approaches retirement age.

A giant Christmas cracker opens the show through which is seen the interior of Scrooge’s and Marley’s shop (where nothing is ever knowingly undersold) with the Company looking festive in a flurry of red costumes with white faux (I hope!) fur.

It is Bob’s 65^th birthday and, after 50 years of working in the store, the staff are holding a party to send him on his way clutching a gold clock.

Jane Morley (Dorothy Prothero) has been married to Jacob Marley and is now holding a torch for Ebenezer (Tony Adamson).

David Davies takes the eponymous role with Maureen Morris as his wife, Martha.

‘Tiny Tim’ (Colin Ratcliff) has grown up and is cured of his Dickensian impediment. He’s now a wealthy banker who lives in a 27-roomed mansion. Playing his snobby wife, Theresa, is Gill O’Flaherty who takes the comic role very well. It has been good to watch her progress over the past few years from choreographer and dancer to comedy actress.

The three inevitable ghosts (who ‘like to sing in chorus’) – Ghosts of Retirement Past (Bill Edwards), Present (Teresa Edwards) and Yet to Come (Sue Hardiker) arrive to convey the message that retirement does not have to be boring when the fabulous University of the Third Age is prominent.

The good pace of the show owes thanks to John Hardiker’s expert direction and Gaynor Hale’s clever choreography together with the vivacity of the cast, seasonal costumes and stunning scenery. Congratulations to the whole team!

Score: 8/10 – Very enjoyable!

A big THANK YOU to everyone who supports our productions; our group work very hard for many months to put them on stage and it’s very encouraging to know we can depend on you after all our efforts.

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For this visit, which included both the Burton Mere RSPB reserve and the Dee Estuary, Denhall Lane, the group had the benefit of a guest leader, Peter Twist.

Highlights of the visit included:

• The largest number of species recorded in a single visit by the group (63)
• Two Marsh Harriers, a Hen Harrier and a Peregrine
• A Great White Egret, as well as several Little Egrets
• A Brambling and two Kingfishers

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