We were having lunch in the Reginald Mitchell pub, Handley. It’s a Wetherspoons (‘spoons’) outlet. We were tucking into our lunch when the penny dropped and I recognised the name of the pub. Reginald Mitchell designed the famous Spitfire aircraft. I guessed there was a local connection and I was correct. He was born in a suburb of nearby Kidsgrove and went to school in Hanley. Mitchell started his aeronautical career designing fast seaplanes. He subsequently used the knowledge he had obtained from designing seaplanes to design the Spitfire. He died of cancer in 1937 without knowing the vital role his aircraft played in WW2.
On a different subject a former acquaintance of mine posted the following photo of an interesting kitchen utensil. However I can’t convince Jan she needs one. Apparently she prefers to let the stuff run through her fingers!
Our boat neighbours introduced themselves and almost simultaneously Jan remembered where our paths had last crossed.
We met up with
Follow the Willow at Devizes last summer. They are now planning to head back south whilst we will go north. In the meantime we are enjoying the mooring.
5 comments :
Hi Tom & Jan,
Interested to read your heading north again? Back through the tunnel?
Just trying to remember what canals rivers you haven't cruised up north that you could be heading for!
Tried to find the map from last year knew it was a post August to October around Grand Union to Droitwich but couldn't find it.
Check Devizes in the above!
Cheers
Ade
Tom, have you been up the Calden Canal before? If not then I highly recommend it.
Mick
Hi Ade, Yes back through the Harecastle Tunnel. The plan is to go to Liverpool and then back to Manchester before crossing the Pennines via the Huddersfield.
Mick
We cruised the Caldon in 2013. I remember it being very attractive. We decided against going through Frogall Tunnel not wanting to remove some of our new paint! :-)
Love the egg separator! When are you booked into Liverpool? We're going in on the 1st June and back up Stanley locks on the 7th for the IWA Campaign rally the next weekend, then hopefully up the Leeds and Liverpool canal and back to Manchester on the Rochdale. That's if the flood damage has been repaired and we are up to it!
Judith and John nb Serena
Hi Judith
We plan to be on our way to Wigan Liverpool at the beginning of March. The Bridgewater is closed until the end of the month. You appear to be planning on doing the cruise we did in 2014. Hope you love swing bridges! :-)
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