jocelyn plummer
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Ju jU, what an interesting decision--- very best of luck--- place of study--?
- Thread starter Coombe
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@ Jocelyn - I did a short course at Oxford Uni on garden history to get the basics and have bought a fairly dire (!) distance learning course from an organisation I've forgotten the name of but basically I'm teaching myself. I already have a MA in history and a PhD in geography and have written on and taught so many different subjects myself, I hate being a student as I'm far too critical of other tutors. But the course at Oxford was a great intro and in fact I'm now doing some research with the tutor. Other than that that's how I got into National Trust volunteering cos I wanted some practical experience. I'm now writing the guide to the gardens for them plus designing an exhibition. There's not a lot of paid work in this field so I'm also doing management consultancy - well I gotta help pay the mortgage much as I'd like to be a kept woman... Mr Juju has been very understanding about it all but he always looks relieved when I tell him news of actual paid work rather than the 2 + days a week I'm giving for free to the National Trust...
Juju
@ Jocelyn - I did a short course at Oxford Uni on garden history to get the basics and have bought a fairly dire (!) distance learning course from an organisation I've forgotten the name of but basically I'm teaching myself. I already have a MA in history and a PhD in geography and have written on and taught so many different subjects myself, I hate being a student as I'm far too critical of other tutors. But the course at Oxford was a great intro and in fact I'm now doing some research with the tutor. Other than that that's how I got into National Trust volunteering cos I wanted some practical experience. I'm now writing the guide to the gardens for them plus designing an exhibition. There's not a lot of paid work in this field so I'm also doing management consultancy - well I gotta help pay the mortgage much as I'd like to be a kept woman... Mr Juju has been very understanding about it all but he always looks relieved when I tell him news of actual paid work rather than the 2 + days a week I'm giving for free to the National Trust...
Juju
Thank you, Lime. Fascinating insight into home-produced acetylene. Seems perfectly feasible, and I will look for more clues. The house comes equipped with a water tower and fire-fighting equipment and while this might not be exclusively useful for the highly combustible acetylene system certainly indicates a fear of fire.
Philip
Philip
Nigel Watts
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Juju said:
Best of luck with your new venture.
jocelyn plummer
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Also, Waterperry Gardens ( not so very far from you) are a very useful source of knowledge, have fun with the NT volunteering and keep us poststed!
Penners
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I used to know the garden manager at Waterperry - a great character called Ernie Bingham. If you want to ask his advice about anything it might be worth enquiring whether he's still there (although he may have retired by now).
A quick update on the disappearing wall saga. This week the electricians needed to lift one of the oak floor boards in the hall. On inspection with a torch we could see what looks like another deep void/tunnel/passage, running parrallel to the first, but much longer, and very carefully shaped.
We didn't investigate further at the time, as Philip was away, and he would never forgive me if I made a discovery without him being there!
Philip got back last night, so we will investigate today.
I will keep you posted.
Sarah
We didn't investigate further at the time, as Philip was away, and he would never forgive me if I made a discovery without him being there!
Philip got back last night, so we will investigate today.
I will keep you posted.
Sarah
jocelyn plummer
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Juju said:
My Mother was there in the '30's, she became an expert Herbaceous border gardener as a result. I remember being taken to have tea with Miss Havergal. I must have been about 8 years old. Looking back, it is interesting to recall my Mother struggling to explain to me why Miss H was wearing a tie, trousers and jacket!!!!
Penners
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That's a disappointment. I would have expected Miss Havergal to look rather more like this:jocelyn plummer said:
Mind you, perhaps Miss H was... ahem... an enthusiast of drainage ditches.
You do this to make us all jealous don't you?? ;-)Coombe said:
We(*) dug all of our floor up and just found a few old animal bones, the odd bit of broken china and a some charcoal. And clay. Lots of clay. Nowhere near as exciting. We didn't even find any flagstones which others have found :-(
(*) The Royal We of course. I just watched the pile of broken concrete get higher.
worms
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Me neither! I've done test holes under the kitchen floor hoping for a flagstone or two, to no avail. And behind the house, hoping for a cobbled courtyard, and found nothing more interesting than an alarmingly high water table. Of course, when I then tried to plant an apple tree to have as an espalier against the courtyard wall, I found I was exactly on top of the old drainage channel, which seems to be the only remnant remaining!MdB said: