Washminster transforms…..

Rome and Athens have always fascinated me. I've enjoyed visits to both cities, and despite a poorly taught Classical Studies and Latin course at Grammar School in the 1970s, I have appreciated reading about and around the history of those two cities and their impacts which have resounded through the subsequent centuries. I've always lived close to, and been fascinated by Roman roads in Britain. As a teenager I enjoyed summer walks from my home in the Walsall area (Aldridge) to Wall and along the Roman road which ran through Sutton Park. Today my home lies in an estate which is bordered by Watling Street (a street my wife lived very close to when she grew up in Rainham, Kent.) Magiovinium is buried in a part of Milton Keynes which I frequently enjoy walking to (or when the weather is inclement) driving to). Since leaving University, Leicester has become a place I frequently visit - from my first years as a Graduate Trainee when I had to attend my regular reviews, through teaching at the University (after working for the local Member of the European Parliament), to regular visits with my wife for her work. Living in Milton Keynes, London is also a city I love to visit - and have followed the walk around the city walls (sadly less easy to follow these days, but the signs remain) as well as to the museums and sites which are open to the public, and along parts of the original (Marble Arch to Westminster) and later route (Oxford Street to St Pauls and onto the "centre" of Roman London (at Leadenhall Street/Cornhill) and then down across the most recent incarnation of London Bridge into Borough High Street. The British Museum is, of course, a treasure trove of Ancient Roman and Greek items as well as the host to a number of superb exhibitions (and their associated publications) over the years.

Following Select Committees

Departmental Select Committees have come a long way since they were established in the late 1970s - I've enjoyed following their progress. If you want information about an issue - Committee Reports are an excellent source. There are good links via https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/committees/select/ Attendance in person is possible at Westminster - but getting cheap train tickets is difficult because of the starting times. Living in Milton Keynes means pre-purchasing a very early morning ticket, or getting a coach, also at an ungodly hour - and hanging around in the Westminster area before entering by the visitos entrance. If you do go - make sure you know where the hearing is being held. Some require entrance into Portcullis House (facing the river), whilst some are via the main visitors entrance opposite Westminster Abbey. Be prepared to queue! Thankfully live & recorded broadcasts are available at https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Commons https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi18-Gc5rP_AhV9TkEAHRiBBL0Q1bUFegQIHBAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.alamy.com%2Fstock-photo%2Fselect-committee.html&usg=AOvVaw1A6KO8X4ikeaOmn18JT4fa

A New Look, a New Focus

When I began this blog, back at the turn of the century, I was a Lecturer in Law; and also in British & European Politics & Government. Additionally I worked at Westminster - first for a couple of MPs and latterly for two members of the House of Lords. I had been a Parliamentary Candidate twice (Blaby 2001, 2005). Subsequently I stood for Parliament in 2019 in the neighboring constituency (to my home in Milton Keynes) of Buckingham. I am now fully retired. Much has changed since I kept this blog on a regular basis. I'm older, hopefully a bit wiser. I've done some more broadcasting, but now am pretty free to do whatever I want. I grow increasing concerned at the direction that politics in Britain (and in other parts of the World) have taken. I used to love political campaigning - and have campaigned frequently in the UK and the USA. You can read previous posts describing those activities and my observations. Campaigning has developed as academics have researched into the effectiveness of different tools and tactics. My fear is that Political Consultants, and Politicians themselves, have learnt what works - but without considering the consequences. Naked manipulation has become the order of the day - but its effectiveness has declined. Today we are less trusting, less sympathetic to what our representatives do - sometimes with good cause. We have more opportunity to express our views - but have less influence in decision making. I started reading Andrew Blick and Peter Hennessy's "The Bonfire of the Decencies" this morning. they begin by saying "Our central thesis is that mechanisms for the upholding of constitutional principles in the United Kingdom are deficient and require an overhaul." Written Constitutions, with Separation of Powers, are failing in other countries too - the USA is a case in point. But France may see a lurch towards right wing authoritarian government in the next elections - some member states of the EU already have leaders who have little respect for democracy. Can the tide be turned? Or is Democracy destined to die a painful death? I remain optimistic. We have fought for rights and freedoms in the past. It won't be pleasant or comfortable - but it can be done. what can we learn from the struggles of our ancestors? The "New" Washminster will look at how institutions are changing, and at how we can learn from the struggles of previous centuries. I value your observations and suggestions. Let's engage in conversations about how we can attain a better future. David

Washminster to return

a quick heads up - Washminster is set to return shortly. pictures & text to follow.

The Story of Wales

 

 This is the first episode of a superb BBC/Open University Series about the history of Wales. It is based on Jon Gower's excellent book of the same name. I hope that the BBC will restore the series to the BBC iPlayer (which is where I first discovered it), or re-release the set of DVDs. The series opened my eyes to the depth of the riches of Welsh History - and I have consequently purchased a number of books about different aspects of that history - & have joined the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society and extended my membership of the Council of British Archaeology to CBA Wales. 

There are some excellent books available on Welsh History - from  John Davies' "A History of Wales", to books about specific periods or events. David Williams' book about the Rebecca Riots and Gwyn A Williams' "The Merthyr Rising" are two favourites of mine - and I'm just about to start on a book about the Newport Rising of 1839. 

Welsh history does not, of course, exist in a vacuum - and the interaction between Welsh and English history is fascinating - from the conflicts that involved King Oswald and other Northumbrian Kings with other Anglo-Saxon and Welsh Kings (Max Adam's "The King in the North" is excellent) to Welsh influence on Alfred the Great and the interactions leading up to Edward I's invasion. Owain Glyndŵr has been written about by a number of writers - and this year I've managed to visit some of the sites associated with his life (Sycharth, Glyndyfrdwy, Harlech Castle and Six Ashes (which Glyndŵr sought to reach (but was blocked) - and was associated with a prophecy attributed to Merlin). 

Edward F Dafis

 These are videos of two songs I played on Spectrum on Air by the aforesaid Welsh pop group - with lyrics in English and Welsh. They can be a great aid to learning the language.

St Fagan's National Museum of History

Whilst we were staying in Caerleon during our recent trip to Wales, I took a day out to visit the National Museum of (Welsh) History at St Fagan;s near Cardiff. I cannot recommend it strongly enough. There is so much to see there - which really brings Welsh History to life.

Over the last year or so, I've been reading a lot about Welsh history. My favourite general books on the subject are Jon Gower's "The Story of Wales"; John Davies' "A History of Wales" and Gwynfor Evans' "Land of My Fathers".Miranda Alehouse-Green and ray Howell have written an excellent book on "Celtic Wales", and Kari Maund has a useful introduction to the lives and activities of "The Welsh Kings". 

There are a number of other books I have & journals that I use.

The National Museum of History brought these to life.

Some buildings within the site are based on archaeological finds. I was particularly interested in the Llys Llywelyn - based on the Llyn Rhosyr in Ynys Môn (Anglesey) which was excavated in the 1990s. The Bryn Eryr Iron Age Roundhouses are re-creations based on a farmstead in Eastern Ynys Môn. These are modelled on the findings of an excavation done during the 1980s.

Othe buildings have been taken down from their original site - and reconstructed. I visited the church next to the Llys Llywelyn - and was surprised and really thrilled to find that it was the church in the village where my Great Great Grandparents lived in the 19th Century - before the Griffiths' moved to Betws, near Ammanford.

As well as lots of places to visit, there are some excellent indoor exhibitions - and a bookshop with lots of books that I was tempted to buy (and was not able to resist).

The website is https://museum.wales/stfagans/. A map of the museum is available at https://museum.wales/media/52014/Site-Map-of-St-Fagans-National-Museum-of-History_r.pdf.

Further information about individual buildings and displays can be found here.

Six Ashes

 

This village, on the border today of Staffordshire and Shropshire - was proposed as a meeting place of international borders of much greater significance. In 1405 Owain Glyndŵr, Henry Percy, the 1st Earl of Northumbria and Edmund Mortimer (who had a better claim to the throne than Henry IV who usurped the throne from Richard II (who Henry imprisoned - and who died shortly afterwards)) agreed in the "Tripartite Indenture" to divide England and Wales into three countries - with "Onnenau Meigion" as the place where the boundaries of the three states would meet.

“... Owain and his heirs shall have the whole of Cambria or Wales, within the borders, limits, and boundaries underwritten, divided from Loegria, which is commonly called England; namely, from the Severn coast where the River Severn leads from the sea, going down to the North Gate of the city of Worcester [Foregate]; and from that gate directly to the ash trees commonly called Onennau Meigion in the Cambrian or Welsh language, which grow on the high road from Bridgnorth to Kinver [Six Ashes]; thence directly by the high road, which commonly is called the old or ancient way, as far as the head or source of the river Trent [Biddulph Moor, north of Stoke]; thence directly to the head or source of the river commonly called the Mersey [Compstall, east of Manchester]; and thence, as that river leads to the sea [at Liverpool], going down within the borders, limits, and bounds written above.”

Percy (the Earl of Northumberland) would then have roughly the northern half of Lloegr -

(Northumberland, Westmorland, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Norfolk.)

- and Edmund Mortimer would have the rest of Lloegr.

This place was chosen because it was the subject of a prophecy of Merlin - that a great eagle  would muster a host of Welsh warriors who would defeat the English. Sadly, the "prophecy" was centuries later than the time of Merlin - and may even be a "post-dated prophecy" of a defeat here of Penda of Mercia by Cadwallon ap Cadfan of Gwynedd in the Seventh Century.

Glyndŵr tried to make his way to Six Ashes, but was halted by Henry IV at Great Witley, about 15 miles away. A stand off ensued, with both sides eventually retreating.

Visiting Historic Sites

On today's Heritage Matters, I talked about the best websites to visit if you wish to make a trip to one of the many historic sites in England and Wales.

United Kingdom

National Trust

and try this out - https://www.historyhit.com/the-best-neolithic-sites-in-britain/ 

Wales

CADW

Coflein - the online database for the National Monuments Record of Wales (NMRW)

St Fagans National History Museum (the picture below is of the Llys Llewelyn)

England

English Heritage 

Historic England

Caerleon

Over the last couple of weeks on Heritage Matters on SpectrumOnAir , I've done a couple of pieces about the riches of history to be found in Caerleon. 

Caerleon is best known as one of the three long-term legionary Headquarters in Roman Britain. There is the superb National Roman Legion Museum, The Roman Baths (sadly closed at the time of our visit), the Amphitheatre, the foundations of the Barracks and some of the walls (visible from the path alongside the Amphitheatre toward the River).

It was an important place - but an even older site stands on a hill overlooking the village of Caerleon - The Lodge Hill Fort. Below is a video I took on my recent visit.

There is an excellent webpage about the hill fort - http://www.caerleon.net/history/lodge/index.htm        

You can listen to previous editions of Heritage Matter by clicking here.

Party Conference Season

 Party Conference season is now underway in the United Kingdom.

The Liberal Democrats held their online conference over the past weekend. Labour holds it's in-person conference in Brighton from next Saturday (25th September) until its conclusion with the Leaders Speech on Wednesday (29th September). The Conservatives have a hybrid conference (on-line and in person) based in Manchester from 3rd to 6th October. Plaid Cymru meet in Aberystwyth on 15th & 16th October. The Green Party has arranged for Workshops (online) on 18-21 October with the Main Conference (online and in person) on 22nd-24th in Birmingham. The SNP held their conference earlier in September.

The PPS Programme on Spectrumonair will be seeking to bring pieces to you about what happens at conference over the next couple of weeks.

Scrutiny in the US Congress

 In today's PPS Programme on Spectrum on Air, I took a look at scrutiny in the US Congress - (a term which includes both the US House of Representatives and the US Senate). The previous week, I did a piece on scrutiny in the British House of Commons - and there was a lot of 'compare and contrast' in the pieces.

To Watch Committees - Go to

House of Representatives

Senate 

The Best guides to procedure are available at

House of Representatives - Rules Committee: Rules & Resources 

Senate - Resources

Keeping Abreast of Scrutiny in the UK Parliament

 I did a couple of pieces last week on the PPS programme on Spectrum on Air about Scrutiny in the British House of Commons. All past programmes are kept on the website by the programme details for at least six weeks.

The Select Committee website is https://committees.parliament.uk. On this website you can search by Committee, or by Inquiry. It also has details about hearings on the day you access it (or, if it is a non-sitting day) the next sitting date. These pages are worth exploring, as you can find details of forthcoming inquiries and previously published reports.

You can watch Committees on https://parliamentlive.tv/Commons. You can watch live - or look back at previous meetings.

Oral Questions are set down in the Order Book for the forthcoming sitting at https://commonsbusiness.parliament.uk/document/49729/html 

The answers are reported in Hansard.

The "Bible" of Parliamentary Practice is Erskine May - which will cost a few hundred pounds to BUY, but is available to read for free at https://erskinemay.parliament.uk. I'd recommend anyone who might wish to run for Parliament to take a look - and get used to navigating this invaluablele resource. (Those who know the rules, and how to use them, tend to get their way more than those who try to get by without a solid knowledge of the rules.)

Food Festival (Gwyl Fwyd) Amgueddfa Cymru

 I'm a big fan of food festivals - and I'm a big fan of "Amgueddfa Cymru" (The National Museum of Wales). Next week the two coincide, and fortunately (for me - living in Milton Keynes: which is not well served by roads to Wales) it is, this year, an online event.

It runs from Monday 6th September until Sunday 12th September. The website is https://museum.wales/whatson/food-festival-2021/ 

I've already looked up the programme - and despite it being very busy for me - I've already diarised a number of the events.

Do take a look at what's on - 

Also there are social media websites highlighting aspects of the festival which are already posting  - 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/291068358848494

https://twitter.com/AmgueddfaCymru (some recipes ahead of presentations)

Some events will be in English, others in Welsh - and some in both. If you don't understand Welsh (& on a personal note - I am learning the language - it really is beautiful - it may look horribly complicated, but actually is a lot more logical than say, English (just different rules) - and as someone who is terrible at learning languages - is rewarding and achievable)  - no problem (dim problem) - many of the posts on facebook & twitter offer translations.

Scottish Archaeology Month

 If you live in Scotland, or are visiting Scotland this month take a look at https://archaeologyscotland.org.uk/explore/?fbclid=IwAR2ADlDbAaYN2YnIS9G_nOmbdhY3ym8k5vBQFdmuWBh5-ZFJn50AUA1OeFQ

AND IF SCOTLAND IS TOO FAR, OR YOU CAN’T TAKE TIME OFF FOR A VISIT 

Many events are online.

It’s a very interesting country!

FAC - Foreign Secretary to give evidence today

At 2pm this afternoon the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons will be meeting to take evidence from the Foreign Secretary, Rt Hon Dominic Raab, on Government Policy on Afghanistan. It is being held in the Wilson Room in Portcullis House. The committee will mean in private first, and open the meeting to the public (and the cameras) at ABOUT 2.00pm (UK time) - (my experience with committees that occasionally they let the public in early, but sometimes, may not start the public part start for some time AFTER the stated time)

This link should take you to the live broadcast. If it fails (I have no way of checking in advance) - go to https://parliamentlive.tv/Commons and view Full Event Guide

Spectrum 10K

Further to thee piece on this week's Heritage Matters on SpectrumOnAir - these motes have been supplied by our interviewee, Sarah Morgan.

What:

Study with 10,000 Autistic people’s participation to “improve the wellbeing of autistic individuals” by gathering genetic and environmental factors that contribute.

Why:

Autism is a relatively new diagnosis (In past century) and studies are generally small and not generalisable. This aims to get a dataset that will. Allow for statistically significant results that can be used to help wellbeing in Autists

When:

 study was launched to the public in the last month, but people had been. Contacted a year ago.

Community reaction:

Mixed, mostly negative - concerns about consent, data handling and motivation for study

Yes/no on consent form on:

Saliva sample - DNA will be stored long term which may include reading the entire genetic code, second sample if needed, data and DNA can be used. In future studies academic collaborators and external research databases, (optional) annonamysed data and dna shared with commercial collaborators and financial benefits will not be shared with participants.

Collaborators

Wellcome Sanger institute - 2019 allegations of commercial use of data collected from African studies - Stellenbosch university has demanded return of dna samples

Dr Geschwind - involvement in. ‘Cure Autism Now’ which has been folded into ‘Autism Speaks’ co-principal investigator

Spectrum10 ‘is being secured on UoC safe haven ‘ and will not be sold, during or after the study’

A grant specifies that the 10k will be combines with other databases across the world with Autistic genetic information to understand biology, improve diagnosis and investigate genetic subgroups

The Study Controversy

Subgroups are seen by some in the community as a dividing label that restricts rather than allows for the correct support needed by Autists. It also strengthens the supports of stigmatisation and misunderstanding of the condition

Spectrum10k recognise more needs to be done to explain the value of the study, the measures in place to protect data and other concerns.

Autistic people will be part of the committee on sharing data

No individual feedback on DNA - as not the resources to do so

Ambassadors are mostly white and able bodied

Cannot explain how they hope to improve outcomes

Further Resources

Spectrum 10K - spectrum10K.org

Twitter

@commaficionado - Pete Wharmby

@AutSciPerson - Autistic Science Person

@AnnMemmott - Ann Memmott

@HolSmale Holly Smale

Rebel Wicend

I played Bryn Fôn's excellent song - "Rebel Wicend" on the Heritage Matters programme -which is broadcast on SpectrumOnAir each week at 19.00 Tuesday's, 14.00 Thursdays and 18.00 on Saturdays (UK time - but available around the world by clicking the link above. 

The lyrics in Welsh then English are posted below -

Mae’n cyrraedd ei swyddfa yn gynnar bob bore
Yn cario ei frîffces ecsetiwtif bach.
“Bore da, Mistar Eliot” a “Diolch yn fawr Rachel,
A chofiwch, dim siwgwr, trio cadw yn iach.”
Ac mae’n eistedd fel sowldiwr o flaen ei brosesydd
A phob pin a phapur a ffeil yn eu lle,
Ac am bump mae o’n ol tu ol i lyw’r BMW
Yn gyrru am adre ar gyrion y dre.

Bob nos wrth droi’r goriad mae’n gweiddi, “dwi adre.
Sut ddiwrnod ges ti a be sy ‘na i dde?”
Ac ar garreg yr aelwyd mae’i slipars yn c’nesu
Ac arogl cartref yn llenwi y lle.
Ond ar nos Wenar daw adre a hongian ei siwt
A newid i’r hen denims cul,
Hongian modrwyau trwy’r tyllau’n ei glustiau
A chuddio y rasal tan yn hwyr ar nos Sul.

A dyna chi fo, yn rebal wicend go iawn,
Hefo’i stic-on tatw a’i dun baco herbal yn llawn.
Yn rebal wicend o’i gorun i’w draed
Ac ysbryd gwrthryfel yn berwi ‘mhob diferyn o’i waed.

Ac ar bnawn Sadwrn mewn denims a lledar,
Crys T heb lewys a’i wallt o yn saim,
Mae’n mynd draw i’r dafarn i siarad a’r rocars,
I yfed Jack Daniels yn lle lagyr a laim.
Ac ar ol ysfed digon mae’r gitar yn dod allan
Ac mae o’n canu y blws a thrio swnio yn ddu.
Son am drallodion genod ysgol yn disgwyl.
Mae o’n teimlo fel deryn ac ymddwyn fel ci.

Amser cinio dydd Sul mae o’n ol yn y dafarn
Yn yfed ei hochor o ddeuddeg tan dri,
Yn siarad yn ddwfn am genod a wisgi
A phob ystum o’i eiddo yn dweud ‘ylwch fi’.
Ond gyda’r nos, cyn gwylio Hel Straeon,
Mae o ar goll ym mybls y bath, digon siwr.
Mae’r metamorffosis drosodd am wythnos fach arall
Pan mae’r rebal yn mynd lawr y plyg gyda’r dwr.

Ac ar fore dydd Llun mae o’n ol yn y swyddfa
A’r cris yn ei drowses yn finiog fel bled.
Mae’r rebal wicend yn edrych o’i gwmpas
Ac yn sylweddoli ei fod oyn mêd

English Translation Lyrics:

He arrives in his office early each morning
And carries his little executive briefcase.
“Good morning, Mister Eliot” and “Thank you very much Rachel,
And remember, no sugar, trying to stay healthy.”
He sits like a soldier in front of his processor
With each pin and paper and file in their place,
And at five he’s back behind the BMW’s steering wheel
Driving back home on the outskirts of town.

Each night as he turns the key he yells, “I’m home.
How was your day and what is there for tea?”
And by the fireplace his slippers are warming
And the smell of home filling the place.
But on Friday night he comes home and hangs his suit
And changes to the old narrow denims,
He hangs rings through the holes in his ears
And hides the razor until late on Sunday night. 

And there he is, a real weekend rebel,
With his stick-on tattoo and his herbal tobacco tin filled.
A weekend rebel from head to toe
And the spirit of rebellion boiling in each drop of his blood.

And on a Saturday afternoon in denims and leather,
A sleeveless T-Shirt and his hair full of grease,
He goes down to the tavern to talk with the rockers,
To drink Jack Daniels instead of lime and lager.
And after drinking enough the guitar comes out
And he sings the blues and tries to sound black.
Discusses the woes of pregnant school girls.
He feels like a bird and acts like a dog.

At lunch time on Sunday he’s back in the tavern
And drinks from midday until three,
He talks deeply about girls and whiskey
And each motion of his says ‘look at me’.
But by night time, before watching ‘Hel Straeon’,
He’s lost in the bubbles of the bath, most likely.
The metamorphosis is over for another week
When the rebel goes down the plug with the water.

And on Monday morning he’s back in the office,
And the crease in his trouser is as sharp as a blade.
The Weekend Rebel looks around him
And realizes that he’s made.

To buy the album click - 

https://amzn.to/2ULazgO

Listening to Spectrum On Air Programmes

This blog is frequently used to put further information about subjects raised in the two programmes that Shery Delfani and I (David Morgan) joint host on Spectrum On Air. 

Click here to get the live feed from SpectrumOnAir

To listen to the latest episodes of "Heritage Matters" go to

 https://www.spreaker.com/show/heritage-matters_1

To listen to previous editions of PPS go to

https://www.spreaker.com/show/process-people-sources

Heritage Open Days

 

Heritage Open Days in Europe - internet links

Heritage Open Days (England)

Welsh Open Days (Cymru/Wales)

Doors Open Days (Scotland)

European Heritage Open Days (Northern Ireland)

European Heritage Days (Europe, excluding UK)

Journées Européennes du Patrimoine (France)