Biography
Temporary Jobs
I was saddened to learn that Richard Williams has died. He was the Richard Williams of Cartoons. Proper real cartoons with animators drawing the sequences on celluloid just like the Disney bods did back in [more…]
Biography
20th Century
Bax of Delights
There have been quite a few occasions when one wished one was a fly on the wall to listen in on a conversation. The private discussion between Sir Arnold Bax, Master of the King’s Musick, [more…]
Biography
Lieutenant Rory Stewart – Traveller, Soldier, Gentleman
In the year of our Lord 2002, a remarkable young soldier by the name of Roderick James Nugent Stewart took some good old fashioned shooting leave in Afghanistan. Upon his return to Britain, he documented [more…]
Biography
Anna Soubry
I first came across Anna Soubry MP on an edition of BBC Question Time four or five years ago. Until this auspicious moment I confess I had never heard of the Conservative Member of Parliament [more…]
Arts
Graveyard Shift
I used to work in a cemetery. It was a dead-end job, but you could always bury yourself in your work! Oh, ho ho ho! I humbly beg your pardon. I shall start again. I [more…]
Arts
Æthelberht’s RFA Christmas
I know there’s plenty of former Pusser types on GP, and even a few who have sailed under the red duster. They’ll all be familiar with the Christmas routines for their respective outfits. I thought [more…]
Biography
The Right Way To Put Out A Fire (Finally)
In March 2013 I was appointed to RFA Fort Austin. Within NATO she is classified as an AFSH, that’s to say a combat stores ship with the necessary facilities on board to embark a helicopter. [more…]
Biography
Still Not The Right Way To Put Out A Fire
You may remember some months back I related a story of my first fire exercise sailing under the Red Duster. I was somewhat unimpressed having come from a different seafaring outfit where these things were [more…]
Biography
The Valet’s Tale
My name is William Carew and, until recent events unfolded, I was the valet to Sir Thomas Stradling of St Donat’s Castle in the Vale of Glamorgan. I entered his service while he was [more…]