Having been a resident
of N-o-T for lo, these umptyteen years, I have walked the streets of
neighbouring Somewhere-on-Thames on many occasions. Now, walking its streets
isn’t always easy, as they’re frequently cluttered up with tourists, or the
spectators who congregate for the regular Royal Weddings, State Visits, Horse
Shows and various other events which the neighbours keep organising. It is wise to keep your wits about you and
your eyes open, lest you be mown down by a flotilla of Japanese visitors on a
whirlwind European tour, or even by Sarko’s mother and ma-in-law on a shopping
spree (some years on, I’m still amazed that he got away with that one: I mean,
wangling a State Visit is pretty normal, but getting the invitation extended to
both mamans is a bit of a nerve, IMO. I think probably the DoE put a word in,
on the grounds that he fancied Carla).
Anyway, it dawned on
me some months back that I really have not Paid Attention. Far from keeping my eyes open, I seem to have been walking around with them shut. Shut, that is, to some of the more interesting sights and signs that were displayed right in front of them.
On one of our regular strolls into
Somewhere-on-Thames, my eye was drawn to a Blue Plaque on a wall in a quite
out-of-the way corner, not far from the railway station. It hides a tale of some mystery, quite a lot
of religious prejudice and fervour, and a stitch-up that makes the McCarthy era
seem like the epitome of free speech and fair trials….
Here is the plaque:
The "burnt at the stake" part rather grabbed my attention and I began scouring the internet in an effort to learn more about these poor men.
Because it’s a
long story and because it would be wrong of me to endeavour to summarise it in
a few words here, I give you a link to the fascinating story behind it.
It is by far one of
the most interesting bits of our local history that I’ve discovered, and I’m
surprised that it’s taken me so very long to even notice the plaque and learn
of the existence of the Windsor Martyrs.
Hello:
ReplyDeleteWe are always somewhat intrigued by Blue Plaques but this one is something entirely different from those which are normally to be seen and which, as a general rule, state that Mr. or Mrs., or Lord or Lady, X lived there at some period of his or her life. How fascinating. We shall most certainly come back to the link for the full story.
I hope you find it as interesting as I did, Jane and Lance. I only wish that I had found out about it sooner! The plaque is so tucked away that I must have walked past it hundreds of times without noticing it, and yet it commemorates a fascinating story.
ReplyDeleteHello [Again]:
ReplyDeleteWe have now read this extraordinary account of a terrible injustice. How very, very strange and we are fairly certain that outside of Nowhere-on-Thames there can be few who have heard of this. We certainly hadn't. Thank you so much for the link to a fascinating piece of history.
For some reason on your Live Traffic Feed we are coming in as from Novosibirsk in the Russian Federation. The plot thickens!!
How very odd!! I do wonder just how accurate the feedjit feature actually is!
ReplyDeleteIt's a sad story, and, as you say, a terrible injustice: I can't begin to imagine the pressure and fear that must have been brought to bear to force family members to turn against these men, as well as the bravery of those finally condemned. It sounds as though they nevertheless maintained an incredible stoicism and dignity until the end.
I am pleased that they are commemorated, and only wish that their story was more widely known.
Hello Croixblanches - I came to you via Perpetua. I fully intend to read the Blue Plaque story tomorrow, a bit late for me tonight. However, as Jane and Lance have mentioned the Live Traffic Feed, I notice that it is saying that I am a visitor from Chippenham, Wilts, but I am actually in the Cotswolds!!!
ReplyDeleteHello Rosemary, and thanks for reading. I'm sorry that, like Jane and Lance, you have been "moved" by feedjit. Curiouser and Curiouser. I have also been displaced several miles downstream of Nowhere-on Thames to Twickenham. Not a million miles, but a good 20 minutes by train, nonetheless. It's almost spooky.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of the martyrs either. It must be tucked away.
ReplyDeleteI do love these plaques though for Jacob Von Hogflume...
http://thestateofthenationuk.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/jacob-von-hogflume.html
Ha!That made me smile! I don't think Mr Von Hogflume has a plaque near us, unfortunately, although I'd love it if he did! Mind you, it's taken me a long time to notice the ones we HAVE got, so he might be lurking!
DeleteA fascinating story, CB, and a testament to human fortitude and integrity as well as the reverse. I must put my hand up to being equally unobservant and not discovering things until I'm literally brought face to face with them.
ReplyDeleteI think the Feedjit discrepancies are due to the vagaries of some ISPs. When I'm in the far north of Scotland and using BT Internet, I can be shown as coming from Glasgow, Dunfermline or even South Wales! At home using Talktalk my location is much more stable. :-)
I think on my feed you usually come up as London when in Wales, Perpetua. I'm glad I know where some of my readers actually are, because the results from feedjit would have me believe quite a different picture!
DeleteI have resolved to look more closely at my surroundings in future. I'm sure there's a lot that I miss and that would be really interesting, if only I took the time to look around me! I do remember once that someone had carefully (and obviously on purpose) stuck a tiny "Mr Men" plaster on the finger of a very large bronze statue of Prince Albert, and it remained there for several weeks. I wouldn't have noticed that, either, if someone hadn't pointed it out!
Well my feedjit is spot on! At least it knows that my little town exists.....
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother on my father's side used to give us Foxe's Book of Martyrs for Sunday reading....as a testament to the strength of the faith of these people it was humbling, but as children the recitation of the torments they suffered gave some of the cousins nightmares.
I can well imagine it would, Fly! I was traumatised enough by Hoffman's tales....
Delete