Smuggling Signals

The Horsey Wind Pump located close to the North Sea was an important instrument in assisting smugglers of wool, brandy and other contraband to avoid the Revenue Men as they scoured the area. The taxes imposed on these items were so high; the local merchants did all they could to avoid paying them and so reverted to smuggling their goods in and out of Norfolk in a clever and ingenious way. If the Revenue Men had been sighted in the area, the wind pump operator was notified and he would stop the sails so they made an X (the Cross of Saint Andrew). When the danger had passed, the operator would put the sails in the sign of a cross + (Cross of Saint George) to indicate the “all clear.” In the absence of wind, a boy would be asked to climb to the sail and his weight would accomplish what the wind could not and the operator would lock the sails in place.

Seeing the coast was clear, the wherry captains who had dumped their contraband overboard and marked the site with a pointer known only to them, retrieved their goods and went on their merry way.

The Horsey Wind Pump is owned and maintained by the National Trust and is in excellent condition. On the site, there is a little tea and gift shop that is open for refreshments.

More on smuggling can be found in my book Extraordinary Places...Close to London page #35 as well as stories on Vikings, kings, queens, ghosts, witches and the witch finder general. ISBN 0-8038-2031-3

St Edmund King and Martyr, Acle, Norfolk

This wonderful church is approximately 1100 years old. It has a round tower and thought to be of Saxon origin dating from between 850 and 950 AD. It sits quietly in the village of Acle, Norfolk, England and is open daily to visitors. It is built mostly of local flint, brick and rubble, but has a thatch roof giving a pleasing look to this ancient church. Inside, the church is in excellent condition with a 15th century rood screen and interesting information relating to the plagues that swept through the Norfolk countryside. The church is a “must see” for anyone visiting the area. It is also close to the river Bure which is frequented by vacationers.

Pink Slip & Others

The dreaded Pink Slip - none of us want to receive one. I’ve been unable to find the origin of Pink Slip although the term has been used for nearly a hundred years. We can only assume that termination notices were once printed on pink paper. There are many work-related terms and phrases that have interesting origins. Some of these sayings we hear almost every day, others may be less familiar to you.

A Cushy Job - A great job with little effort
During World War II a cushy job was one that did not involve danger or too much hard work. An Anglo-Indian term, cushy is derived from the Hindi, Khush, meaning pleasant. It was also used in World War I as a slang word to describe trivial wounds.

Get Sacked - To be fired
This expression originated in the Industrial Revolution in England around 1700. In those days, mechanics were expected to supply their own tools while working in the age-old factories of the period. When a worker was discharged, he was usually given a sack to carry his tools away.

Where There’s Muck There’s Brass - Money can be made from hard, dirty work
At the end of the 17th century in England, pennies, halfpennies and farthings were made in brass because it was less expensive than gold or silver. As a result, a farthing (one fourth of a penny) was worth nothing. This led to the saying; it’s not worth a brass farthing. Since that time, brass has become a slang word for money.

England’s Hidden Places

The concept for Extraordinary Places...Close to London came to me after almost 20 years of my American friends, associates and colleagues asking the question, “I’ve done all the usual tourism places in England and I’m ready to be more adventurous and seek out those unsual places off the beaten path...” The question was asked so many times, I began a file and handed it a potential visitor. It’s that very information that led to the publication of Extraordinary Places...Close to London.

Included within the pages of Extraordinary Places...Close to London there is the history of Lawrence Washington great-great grandfather of our first President who was treated so poorly by the Parliamentarians that his son (John) left England for the New World. Other stories include kings and queens, Vikings, witches and ghosts. The Guinness Book of Records has Pluckley (Kent) listed as “the most haunted village in the country” boasting between 12-16 ghosts depending on who provides the information.

Although I have listed 30 villages or towns, I have also included another 17 locations I feel are worthy of a visit. Other information includes where to eat, where to stay and travel info from London. Some places can be reached by train but others, because of the location, need to be approached by car.

ISBN: 0-8038-2031-3

Origins - Valentine's Day and Others

February derives its name from the Latin februa, which signifies the festivals of purification so popular during Roman times.

St. Valentines Day – When lovers traditionally state their affection for each other. Chaucer mentions this special day so we know the expression was used in the 14th century and it is thought to be the day the birds chose their mates for the coming season. The origin is shrouded in mystery with at least three men with the given name of St. Valentine. Some say he was a priest in Rome who died because he helped Christian martyrs. Another theory is that Claudius II decreed that unwed soldiers made for a better army of men than those with a wife and family. Believing this is to be a bad decision, St. Valentine secretly wed some soldiers to their beloved ladies. Yet another theory is that a certain St. Valentine while in prison fell in love with the jailer’s daughter and just before he was put to death, he sent a letter to the young girl and signed it “from your Valentine.” In the end, none of this matters because St. Valentine won the day because his name has been forever immortalized.

Warms the Cockles of the Heart – To make one feel warm and emotionally happy.
As a person of English heritage, I find this phrase particularly interesting because the cockle is a small shellfish that is widely available throughout England and doesn’t appear to have anything to do with warming or hearts. The real origin is the Latin term cochleae cordis meaning “ventricles of the heart” and obviously warming the ventricles means reaching the depths of ones heart or emotions.

To Wear One’s Heart on his Sleeve – To show one’s affection openly. Some believe the origin of this phrase lies in ancient times when knights wore the scarves or kerchiefs of preferred maidens on their sleeves thus displaying their emotions openly. We do know for sure that in 16th century England, Valentines were exchanged and that if a man was truly smitten by a woman, he wore the heart-shaped Valentine of his beloved on his sleeve.

Love me; Love my Dog. John Heywood first used this term in his collection of proverbs that was published twenty years before Shakespeare’s birth. The expression is almost a 1000 years old and was used by St. Bernard (no relation to the breed of dog) who used it in a sermon “Qui me amat, amet et canem meum” (“Who loves me will also love my dog.”)

Love Apples – A mistake in etymology and a legend is born. At one time, tomatoes were known as “love apples” and thought to be an aphrodisiac. Originally, tomatoes grew in South America and were imported to Spain soon after Columbus discovered the New World. The apples migrated to Morocco and finally Italy, where they were known as pomo dei Moro (apple of the Moors). Evidently, a romantic Frenchman translated this incorrectly to read pomme de’amour (love apple) and legend was born.

Peddle Power in San Diego

Mikael (Michael) makes his living ferrying visitors back and forth along the promenade in San Diego. For a modest fee (depends on the journey) the "human taxi" provides not only a relief on a hot summer's day and a running commentary on the history of the area, but he also gives advice on the best ferry rides and recommends a place to eat.

Bob Hope and the Military

It is hard not to shed a tear when visiting Tuna Harbor Park in San Diego, California. The exquisite sculptures of the men and women who served our country and gave their lives is something not to miss.

Here Bob Hope is captured in time as he entertains the troops in his Army fatigues. He holds a microphone from the 40s as he addresses 16 men and women all beautifully sculptured. Everyone is laughing, some clapping and obviously cheering as they enjoy the show. Some are fully dressed as others look as though they've rushed from their duties because they are still wearing their standard-issue drawstring pants and boots before grabbing a box to sit and enjoy the fun, their dog tags hanging at their backs.

The sculpture of the young sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square us titled "Unconditional Surrender" and is on temporary loan from the Sculpture Foundation, Inc.