John Taylor - The Watermens Poet Born in the parish of St. Ewen's, near South Gate,  Gloucester  on 24 August 1578. In the early 1590s, after his attempt at grammar school he moved from his home to south London, probably  Southwark , to begin an apprenticeship as a  waterman . His occupation was one deemed unpopular by the literary elite of London. Watermen were known to be drunkards, and often gossips and liars, who attempted to cheat patrons into a higher wage for their service. This occupation would be crafted into an image for Taylor later in his career. He spent much of his life as a Thames  waterman , a member of the guild of boatmen that ferried passengers across the  River Thames  in  London , in the days when the  London Bridge  was the only passage between the banks. His occupation was his gateway into the literary society of London, as he ferried patrons, actors, and playwrights across the Thames to the Bankside theatres. In 1620, Taylor claimed almost 20,000 men lived by this trade, including dependents and servants, and in 1641, he believed there were over 40,000 in the company itself He became a member of the ruling oligarchy of the guild, serving as its clerk; Taylor discusses the watermen's disputes with the theatre companies who moved the theatres from the south bank to the north in 1612, The move of theatres from the south bank to the north took a huge toll on Taylor's income, and despite at that time being in the company of the King's Watermen, he could not sway the  king  to prevent the move. Taylor was also the first poet to mention the deaths of  William Shakespeare  and  Francis Beaumont  in print, in his 1620 poem, "The Praise of Hemp-seed". Both had died four years earlier. He was a prolific poet, with over one hundred and fifty publications in his lifetime. Although his work was not sophisticated, he was a keen observer of people and styles in the seventeenth century, and his work is often studied by social historians. Taylor died in London in December 1653 aged 75. He was buried on 5 December at the church of  St Martin- in-the-Fields . “He entertained no gout, no ache he felt, The air was good and temperate where he dwelt; While mavisses and sweet-tongued nightingales Did chant him roundelays and madrigals. Thus living within bounds of nature's laws, Of his long-lasting life may be some cause”

Christmas 2023 is the 376th anniversary of the Plum Pudding Riots that followed Parliament’s clamp down on Christmas in 1647, In 1644, the Puritans gained control of Parliament. With Grinch-like fervour they set about cancelling Christmas. At a stroke, the traditional 12-day festival – a prolonged period of merriment and revelry characterised by rich food, dancing and excess – was banned. The Puritans regarded Christmas celebrations as sinful, ‘giving liberty to carnal and sensual delights’. Even worse, the traditional decorations of holly, ivy, rosemary and bays were pagan. To bring the country to its senses – or its knees – Christmas Day was initially turned into a day of fasting and repentance until, in June 1647, it was abolished altogether. John Taylor created the idea of Father Christmas and the Man who saved Christmas “Let’s dance and sing and make good cheer, since Christmas comes back once a year” John Taylor In his pamphlet The Vindication of Christmas  written in 1652 stood up to the Puritan assault on Christmas tradition.  The cover of John Taylor’s pamphlet personified Christmas and championed the customs of the common man against what Taylor felt were the beliefs of a minority - The world upside down “All the liberty and harmless sports, with the merry gambols, dances and friscals [by] which the toiling plowswain and labourer were wont to be recreated and their spirits and hopes revived for a whole twelve month are now extinct and put out of use in such a fashion as if they never had been. Thus are the merry lords of misrule suppressed by the mad lords of bad rule at Westminster”

  

 

November 2023

The River Thames Luncheon Club 10th November 2023

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The River Thames Luncheon Club  Friday 10^th November 2023

A Solider of the First World enjoying a daily ration First World War Army food was basic, but filling. Each soldier could expect around 4,000 calories a day, with tinned rations and hard biscuits staples once again. But their diet also included vegetables, bread and jam, and boiled plum puddings.  This was all washed down by copious amounts of tea.  The 'reserve ration' was carried by every soldier in his backpack. It included canned meat, dried bread, sugar, coffee and salt. It was meant to be used when, for whatever reason, it was not possible to eat the food prepared in the

The Unknown Warrior At the west end of the Nave of Westminster Abbey is the grave of the Unknown Warrior, whose body was brought from France to be buried here on 11th November 1920. The grave, which contains soil from France, is covered by a slab of black Belgian marble from a quarry near Namur featuring this inscription, composed by Herbert Edward Ryle, Dean of Westminster, engraved with brass from melted down wartime ammunition. Beneath this stone rests the body Of a British warrior Unknown by name or rank Brought from France to lie among The most illustrious of the land And buried here on Armistice Day 11 Nov: 1920, in the presence of His Majesty King George V His Ministers of State The Chiefs of his forces And a vast concourse of the nation Thus are commemorated the many Multitudes who during the Great War of 1914 – 1918 gave the most that Man can give life itself For God For King and country For loved ones home and empire For the sacred cause of justice and The freedom of the world They buried him among the kings because he Had done good toward God and toward His house A year later, on 17th October 1921, the unknown warrior was given the United States' highest award for valour, the Medal of Honor, from the hand of General John Pershing; On 11 November 1921, the American Unknown Soldier was reciprocally awarded the Victoria Cross

October 2023

The River Thames Luncheon Club Friday 13^th October 2023 (72 Days Till Christmas)

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   Paddington Bear - A fictional character in children's literature.

   He first appeared on 13 October 1958 

A Bear Called Paddington a classic character from English children’s literature, makes his debut. and first published in October 1958 Exquisite illustrations by Peggy Fortnum, The friendly spectacled bear from "darkest Peru" – with his old hat, battered suitcase, duffel coat and love of marmalade – has become a classic character in children's literature.The man behind the marmalade-loving character is author Michael Bond. Bond based Paddington Bear on a lone teddy bear that he noticed on a shelf in a London shop near Paddington Station on Christmas Eve 1956, which he bought as a present for his wife. He was inspired by the sight, during World War II, of Jewish refugee children from Europe arriving in Britain and of London children being evacuated to the countryside, the evacuees bearing labels perhaps similar to that attached to the bear Paddington "Please look after this bear". The bear inspired Bond to write a story and in ten days, The book was given to his agent, Harvey Unna. “A Bear Called Paddington” was first published by William Collins & Sons.     Paddington Beara British icon and friend to Queen Elizabeth II. Abear from Peru, where he was brought up by his Aunt Lucy after he was orphaned following an earthquake when he was just a few weeks old. When Aunt Lucy went to live in the Home for Retired Bears in Lima, she decided to send him to England to live. Becoming popular after the Second World War. When of course he was invited to Buckingham Palace to have Afternoon Tea with his friend The Queen Elizabeth II. The very first Paddington bear soft toy was designed in the UK by Doncaster-based Shirley and Eddie Clarkson who ran a small design business and made a prototype for the first Paddington stuffed bear in 1972, which they gifted to their son (Top Gear)Jeremy and daughter Joana for Christmas.

September 2023

The River Thames Luncheon Club Friday 8th 2023

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Friday 8th September 2023 Only Fools and Horses BBC TV Sitcom started  filming of the first series May 1981, and the first episode, "Big Brother", was transmitted at 8:30 pm on 8th September 1981. It attracted 9.2 million viewersThe British television sitcom created and written by John Sullivan. Set in working-class Peckham in south-east London, it stars David Jason as ambitious market trader Derek "Del Boy" Trotter and Nicholas Lyndhurst as his younger brother Rodney Trotter. Critically and popularly acclaimed, It was voted Britain's Best Sitcom in a 2004 BBC poll.     The Cast Grandad - Lennard Pearce . Dels Wife - Raquel -Tessa Peake-JonesRodneys Wife - Cassandra - Gwyneth Strong Used Car Sales Man - Boycie - John Challis Road Sweeper - Trigger - Roger Lloyd-PackLorry Driver - Denzil - Paul BarberSpiv - Mickey Pearce - Patrick Murray Boycie Wife - Marlene - Sue Holderness Landlord - Mike - Kenneth MacDonald The Trotters attempt to become millionaires through questionable get-rich-quick schemes and by buying and selling poor quality and illegal goods. They have a three-wheeled Reliant Regal van and trade under the name of Trotters Independent Traders, mainly on the black market. Initially, Del Boy, Rodney and Grandad were the only regulars, along with the occasional appearances of road sweeper Trigger  and pretentious used car salesman Boycie . Over time, the cast expanded, mostly in the form of regulars at the local pub The Nag's Head. The plots of many early episodes were primarily self-contained, with few plot lines mentioned again, but the show developed a story arc and an ongoing episodic dimension in later series. The Trotters finally become millionaires. John Sullivan Lyrics The Opening Theme Stick a pony in me pocket I'll fetch the suitcase from the van 'Cos if you want the best ones But you don't ask questions Cause where it all comes from is a mystery, It's like the changing of the seasons And the tides of the sea But here's the one that's driving me berserk: Why do only fools and horses work?

July 2023

The River Thames Luncheon Club Friday 14^th July  2023

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The Fête de la Fédération July 14th Bastille Day in France It’s the marking of the anniversary of the fall in 1789 of the Bastille in Paris Bastille Day is the common name given in English-speaking countries to the national day of France. Celebrations are held throughout France. One that has been reported as "the oldest and largest military parade in Europe held on 14 July on the Champs-Élysées in Paris in front of the President of the Republic,     Paris was in a state of high agitation in the early months of the French revolution. In Spring 1789, the Estates-General refused to dissolve, transforming itself instead into a constituent National Assembly. In July, King Louis XVI called in fresh troops and dismissed his popular Minister, Jacques Necker. On the morning of July 14, the people of Paris seized weapons from the armoury at the Invalides and marched in the direction of an ancient Royal fortress, the Bastille. After a bloody round of firing, the crowd broke into the Bastille and released the handful of prisoners held there. The storming of the Bastille signaled the first victory of the people of Paris against a symbol of the "Ancien Régime" Indeed, the edifice was razed to the ground in the months that followed.                                                     Celebrations in The Rue Montorgueil in Paris                                                                                                          Claude Monet In the debate leading up to the adoption of Bastille Day as a National holiday, Senator Henri Martin, who wrote the National Day law, addressed the chamber on 29 June 1880 Do not forget that behind this 14 July, where victory of the new era over the Ancien Régime was bought by fighting, do not forget that after the day of 14 July 1789, there was the day of 14 July 1790. This day cannot be blamed for having shed a drop of blood, for having divided the country. It was the consecration of the unity of France.  If some of you might have scruples against the first 14 July, they certainly hold none against the second. Whatever difference which might part us, something hovers over them, it is the great images of national unity, which we all desire, for which we would all stand, willing to die if necessary.

    June 2023

Men
 Menu

Corn Soup From The Field Duck Burg

Selection of Breads

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The Sailor’s Hornpipe – Bucket of the Fantasea of the Sea Harvest
Atlantic Cod Scottish Salmon
Norfolk Samphire
Saffron Sauce

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Confit of Daisy Duck
The Ludwig Von Drake Sauce
Pullet Potatoes
Medley of Technicolour Vegetables

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Sweet Donald

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Savoury of Duck & Waffle

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Fair Trade Rich Roast Coffee
Tregothnan Cornish Estate Grown Tea
Chocolate Truffles

     Friday 9th June 1934

The Wise Little Hen first shown 9th June 1934 a Walt Disney's     Silly symphony cartoon, based on the fable The Little Red Hen.     The cartoon features the debut of Donald Duck, dancing to the Sailor's Hornpipe. Donald and his friend Peter Pig try to avoid work by faking stomach aches until Mrs. Hen teaches them the value of labour. Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor shirt and cap with a bow tie.      Donald is known for his semi-intelligible speech and his mischievous, temperamental, and pompous personality. Along with his friend Mickey Mouse, Donald was included in TV Guide's list of the 50 greatest cartoon characters of all time in 2002, and has earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.                                    He has appeared in more films than any other Disney character, and is the most published comic book character in the world outside of the superhero genre

The Wise Little Hen of the title is looking for someone to help her plant her corn for the winter.                                                              Peter Pig and Donald Duck both feign belly aches to get out of the chore, since they would rather play than work. So, with help from her chicks, she plants it herself. Harvest time comes; again, Peter and Donald claim belly aches, but the hen sees through this when boards of their clubhouse fall off showing their little act when they shake hands with each other for evading responsibility. Upon wising up to their ruse, she and her chicks wink at each other upon knowing what to do with Peter and Donald later. She cooks up a tantalizing assortment of corn dishes, and heads over to Peter and Donald to help her eat them, but before she can open her mouth, they already fake their belly aches.

Once she asks them to help her eat the corn, they snap out of their façade and are excited to eat, but all she gives them is castor oil. As the hen and her chicks eat the corn themselves, Peter and Donald repent with all their might by kicking each other in the rump.

May 2023

Menu

The Bossin
Navy Bean Soup

Selection of Breads

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Caramelised Irish Salmon
Samphire & Shalott Salad
Lime Hollandaise Sauce

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Duo of Roasted Coastal Lamb from the West Country,
Confit Lemon Flavoured Jus
Fennel Hearts Barigoule Style

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Bergeron Apricot Iced Parfait
Honey Ice Cream

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The Coronation Quiche

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Fair Trade Rich Roast Coffee
Tregothnan Cornish Estate Grown Tea
Chocolate Truffles

HMS Beagle  Design and construction] The Cherokee class of 10-gun brig-sloops was designed by Sir Henry Peake in 1807, and eventually over 100 were constructed. The working drawings for HMS Beagle and HMS Barracouta were issued to the Woolwich Dockyard on 16 February 1817, and amended in coloured ink on 16 July 1817 with modifications to increase the height of the bulwarks the sides of the ship extended above the upper deck by an amount varying from 6 inches at the stem to 4 inches at the stern. Beagle's keel was laid in June 1818, construction cost £7,803, and the ship was launched on   12 May 1820 The first reported task of the ship was a part in celebrations of the coronation of King George IV of the United Kingdom; in his 1846 Journal, John Lort Stokes said that the ship was taken up the River Thames to salute the coronation, passing through the old London Bridge, and was the first rigged man-of-war afloat upriver of the bridge

The ship was one of the first to be fitted with the lightning conductor invented by William Snow Harris HMS Beagle in the Straits of Magellan at Monte Sarmiento,. The Beagle Laid Ashore drawn by Conrad Martens 1834

    April 2023

The King's Men is the acting company to which William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
belonged for most of his career. Formerly known as the Lord Chamberlain's Men 
during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, they became the King's Men in 1603
when King James I ascended the throne and became the company's patron

Antony and Cleopatra - William Shakespeare
The play was first performed, by the King's Men at either
the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre in around 1607

SCENE II Rome. The house of Lepidus. Enter ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS. Mecænas Welcome from Egypt, sir. Enobarbus Half the heart of Cæsar, worthy Mecænas! My honorable friend, Agrippa ! Agrippa Good Enobarbus! Mecænas We have cause to be glad that matters are so well digested. You stayed well by 't in Egypt. Enobarbus Ay, sir; we did sleep day out of countenance, and made the night light with drinking. Mecænas Eight wild-boars roasted whole at a breakfast, and but twelve persons there; is this true ?

Dorset’s Peter Morgan of the Book & Bucket Cheese Company
Wimborne in Dorset makes a wide range of different cheeses named
after authors. Including several made with sheep’s' milk.
Here's Shakespeare, a beautiful soft cheese with a bloomy white rind.
Pasteurised, vegetarian.